


Into The Light

by Anatropes



Series: From the Darkness - Into the Light [2]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), The Chronicles of Riddick Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Augments, Blood and Violence, Bottom Khan Noonien Singh, Elementals, Emotional Baggage, F/M, Friendship/Love, Furyan, Furyans, Getting to Know Each Other, Light Masochism, Light Sadism, Loyalty, M/M, Necromongers, Porn With Plot, Post-Chronicles of Riddick, Post-Star Trek: Into Darkness, Riddick Top, Sex, Slow Burn, Star Trek - Freeform, Survival, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:20:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 86,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25072270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anatropes/pseuds/Anatropes
Summary: “I’ll be the fire that burns every last Necromonger to ashes.”In the past, those words would’ve caused Vaako to laugh, but the ice in Khan’s eyes, the way those words resonated through Vaako’s body, shattered any vestigial pride he’d had left for the Necromonger empire. In that moment he had no doubt that Khan would, and could, do just that.Part 2 of From The Darkness.
Relationships: Dame Vaako/Vaako (Riddick), Richard B. Riddick/Khan Noonien Singh | John Harrison
Series: From the Darkness - Into the Light [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1786891
Comments: 88
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone,
> 
> This is Part 2 of my first story "From The Darkness". Before you begin reading this one I recommend you go and read Part 1 first, as this one begins where the other one left off. 
> 
> For those who followed me here from my original story... Welcome! :) I hope you will enjoy this continuation of Riddick's and Khan's adventures. As always I welcome any and all comments. Your comments help keep me motivated, improve, even spark ideas, and I am extremely grateful for them!
> 
> Note: "The Augment Project" and "Into the Light" can be read simultaneously, in fact, it's recommended :)

.

Riddick kissed up the smooth stomach to the chest and smiled at the appreciative humming noise the younger man made when he finally reached the neck. He lifted his head and looked down into those electric blue eyes. “Have I adequately pleased Your Imperial Majesty?” he teased and claimed the lush lips as they began to curve upwards.

Khan chuckled as he kissed him back and grinned mischievously when they finally surfaced for air. “Last night, very much so. This morning? Not yet,” he said in that low purr Riddick loved.

“I can fix that,” Riddick growled playfully and lowered his body between Khan’s legs, swinging his hips at the same time. He was unreasonably pleased when he felt Khan was just as ready as he was. He kissed him again, this time gently, sweetly, taking his time and he felt Khan shift slightly beneath him to better accommodate him. He continued to rut at a leisurely pace, breaking the kiss to follow Khan’s jawline to his neck. As he put his tongue to work there, on the parts he knew would make the younger man purr, Khan’s hands moved down the length of his body to squeeze his ass. 

The younger man practically pulled him up and wrapped his legs around him. Riddick stopped his ministrations and tsked. “So impatient,” he scolded gently and bit his neck in rebuke. Khan relaxed and tilted his head back. “That’s my Beastie,” Riddick said with some amusement and resumed his teasing. He kissed, licked and bit his way down Khan’s neck to his shoulder then back and made a detour for his chest halfway, all the while rutting against him. He took one of the sensitive nipples between his teeth and teased it with the tip of his tongue. The gasp that escaped Khan’s lips music to his ears. He pulled slowly back, grazing the bud with his teeth and the timid gasps turned into a moan. He kissed across the chest claiming the other nipple to repeat his torture and was rewarded with nails digging into his ass and dragging up all the way to his shoulders. 

Riddick growled and was instantly echoed from within Khan’s chest. He lifted his body enough to reach between them and align himself to Khan’s tight entrance. He knew preparation would be pointless and would only serve to annoy his mate, so he pushed in relentlessly until he bottomed out. As always, Khan’s response was glorious. His eyes rolled back and his mouth opened in a silent moan as he dug his nails further into Riddick’s skin. Quiet, however, didn’t work for Riddick. He pulled out halfway and snapped his hips hard but instead of a moan he was met with an arching eyebrow and a cheeky grin.

Riddick stared for a moment then grinned back. “You little…” He sat back and roughly pulled Khan closer so that he was kneeling between his legs. He leaned over him again, placing his hands on each side of Khan’s head for leverage. He smiled when he felt Khan’s legs lift up and his knees pressing against his sides. Khan was many things and a quick learner was definitely one of them. 

He began with slow, shallow thrusts, his sadistic side enjoying the impatience of his lover. Khan liked a bit of pain with his sex and withholding that for a while was sweet torture for both of them. For Khan because he was an impatient little Beastie and for Riddick because he couldn’t really wait to hear Khan’s moans of pleasure. The knees around his waist squeezed harder and Riddick started picking up the pace, making his thrusts deeper and harder. It wasn’t until he was at full speed that Khan finally relented in his own punishment and gave him what he wanted.

Khan’s hands wrapped around Riddick’s biceps almost painfully. His back arched upwards as his head tilted back and he let out a sweet sound of something between a whimper and a moan. Riddick couldn’t help but lean down to lick up the long column of Khan’s neck and as the younger man fell back onto the bed he claimed his mouth as well. Khan kissed him back just as hungrily and pulled him down until every inch of their bodies touched. Khan broke the kiss and bent his head to lick and suck on Riddick’s neck, working his way up to his ear to bite and suck on his earlobe. Riddick growled appreciatively and increased his speed and ferocity. He was fast approaching his climax and from the noises Khan made Riddick knew that he was too. 

“Riddick,” Khan panted and Riddick felt him tighten around his shaft as he tipped over the line. The combination of his name in that breathy manner with the renewed tightness also tipped Riddick over the edge and they reached their climax as one.

***

Khan stroked Riddick’s back, enjoying the feeling of the larger man on top of him and listening to their breathing and heartbeats. It took him a while to realize that he could hear a third heartbeat as well. It wasn’t in the room with them but it was very close, just outside their door, fluttering like a frightened little bird. He sighed and tried to ignore it but the fluttering sped up and a moment later the chime sounded.

Riddick groaned and stirred, he began kissing Khan’s chest as the chime sounded again. “I hate that fucking chime,” he murmured against Khan’s skin and moved up to nuzzle his neck.

Khan chuckled and scratched behind Riddick’s neck, something he learned the big guy enjoyed. The chime sounded again, this time twice in a row. “She’s not going away,” Khan sighed.

“Your little fan again?” Riddick asked as he rose off him. “I’ll get it,” he said, wrapping a sheet around his waist as he moved to the door.

Khan frowned as the heartbeat outside the door sped up even more. Could she hear them talking? Or was she simply too nervous to try the chime again? He got out of bed and threw his robe on, catching up with Riddick just as the big guy opened the door.

“Floga,” Riddick greeted the furiously blushing girl on the other side. “Your timing is as always impeccable.”

“My apologies,” she squeaked. “I waited until...until…” Her eyes fell on Khan and she turned an even deeper red. “This is urgent, my Lord. Nyoka is unwell.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Khan asked, his stomach suddenly twisting with dread. They were supposed to inject Nyoka with his blood this morning.

“She fainted and won’t wake up and she’s burning up,” Floga said. She looked ready to cry. “Voda said if her temperature keeps rising she’ll die.”

Khan was rushing to the bathroom and out of his robe before Floga had even finished talking. He quickly cleaned himself up and walked back to the room. He ignored Floga’s wide eyed look, he had no time for modesty, and retrieved his pants. “How long ago did the fever begin?” he asked the girl as he pulled his pants on. “Floga!” he snapped when the girl only stared at him with saucer eyes.

She jumped and looked away. “It’s been about an hour, I think. It came on suddenly, my Lord.”

He looked at Riddick.

“Go,” Riddick said. “I’ll catch up.”

Khan strode out of the room and down the corridor with just his pants on. Floga walked beside him, trying to keep up with his long strides. “You have an Augment’s hearing,” Khan said. It wasn’t a question, he was sure of it. He also didn’t need to look at her to know that the blood had once more filled her cheeks.

“I didn’t mean to pry, my Lord,” she said meekly.

“I didn’t say you were,” Khan said, glancing at her. “It can be a useful skill.”

She perked up at that. “It always made me feel closer to our Elders,” she chirped. “Though it got me into trouble a few times.”

Khan chuckled. “You’re supposed to use it to avoid or get out of trouble.”

Floga beamed at him but their humor left them as they took the turn that led to the sickbay. Vaako was pacing outside the room, looking at the door as if he was about to break it down. He halted his pacing when he spotted Khan then rushed to him.

“They won’t let me in!” he told him somewhere between anger and pleading. “And they don’t know what’s wrong with her. Did I have a fever too? What did you do? What did McCoy do?”

Khan grabbed the man by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “Vaako, panic won’t…” He stopped as he saw something human shaped shimmering behind Vaako and coming towards them. At first he thought it might be Aereon but then he heard the voice in his head.

_The blood must be awakened._

“Shirah?” he asked and the apparition disappeared through the sickbay door. He pushed past Vaako to follow but the man grabbed his arm, turning him around.

“Khan? What-” Vaako cut himself short and his eyes widened. He let go of Khan’s arm and stepped back.

Khan felt as if he was walking in a dream, Vaako was no longer important, he turned away from him and opened the sickbay door. Shirah, more formed now than before, stood at Nyoka’s bedside. 

She looked at him and her voice boomed in his head. _“Awaken the blood and claim your own.”_

He was vaguely aware of others in the room, talking to him, but he ignored them as he made his way to Shirah and Nyoka. He looked down at the unconscious Nyoka and frowned, this was exactly how Riddick had reacted to his blood. He glanced at Shirah.

 _“You know what to do,”_ she said with a gentle smile and faded away.

Khan looked down at his hands and saw that his skin was glowing like it did the day he’d Bonded with Riddick. He reached out, placed his hand over Nyoka’s heart and willed the energy to flow into her. He felt the energy building up inside him until it began pulsing out of his palm and over Nyoka’s body. The energy enveloped her like a cocoon then dissipated and sank into her skin. Khan pulled his hand back and saw the Mark, in the shape of his own hand, shimer for a moment longer on Nyoka’s skin before it too faded.

***

Vaako stood frozen at the entrance to the sickbay. He had seen a few strange things in his lifetime. The Lord Marshal’s astral projecting, Riddick’s explosive energy...it was why he believed there was something more in the world other than humans living, breeding and dying. Now...He watched mesmerized as the glow that radiated from Khan engulfed his wife and then slowly sank into her body. Time seemed to stand still, no one dared move.

“Vaako?”

He jumped slightly and looked behind him to see Riddick. “Riddick...did you see that? And his eyes!” He could see his reflection in Riddick’s goggles and though he thought he looked like a madman he didn’t know how else to react to what he saw.

“See what? Who’s eyes?” Riddick asked.

“Khan’s. He looked at me and they were... glowing. He was glowing.” He looked back into the room and saw Nyoka stirring. He forgot all about Riddick and Khan and rushed to her side. “Nyoka?” She didn’t wake. “Nyoka?” He took her hand in his own and was relieved to find it cooler than before, at least the fever seemed to have subsided. 

“She needs rest but she’ll be fine,” Khan said, his voice deep and somehow reassuring.

Vaako looked at him. He seemed normal again, even weary, if he was to judge by the way he leaned against the bed. “What _was_ that?”

Before Khan could answer, Riddick walked in. The Furyan’s head turned slowly, taking in the whole scene before approaching Khan. He placed a hand on the Augment’s back and leaned in to look into his eyes. “Are you alright, Beastie?”

Khan frowned as if unsure of his own condition. “I’m fine. Shirah was here.”

Riddick’s eyebrows shot up and he turned towards Vaako. “Did you see her too?”

“No,” Vaako said, confused. “He said that name before he began glowing but I saw no one else.” He looked back at his wife and touched her forehead. It felt clammy but her fever was definitely gone as if it never happened. He looked back at Khan. “I don’t know what you did, but thank you. Thank you.”

“Shouldn’t you be doing something?” Riddick growled and Vaako realized with a start that the healers were still in the room. He looked at them and they were all frozen in place with the same awed expression he had a moment ago. Voda was the first to recover.

She walked to the biobed, eyeing Khan as she did so, and checked the monitors. Vaako could see her eyes darting left and right over whatever readings she saw there. She then placed one hand on the crown of Nyoka’s head and one on her chest. She closed her eyes and seemed to concentrate. Vaako had an idea of what she was doing, as she had done something similar to him before. Voda as a Water Elemental could sense things inside someone’s body, and even help it along. 

She slowly removed her hands and glanced around the room at everyone. “There’s nothing more I should do, she is healed...completely. She’s not awake yet because her body is resting but she should wake up soon enough.”

Vaako felt as if the weight of the world suddenly lifted off his chest. “When you say completely...is she human? Is she free of...our past?”

Voda gave him a look of poorly concealed contempt and nodded. “Physically, yes.” She looked at Khan and her expression instantly changed to shame at the icy look he returned. She bowed her head. “Nyoka is free of her past, just as our Elders were,” she said more gently. “A new beginning.”

Vaako nodded. “That’s more than someone in our position could ever ask for. Thank you, Healer Voda.”

The Elemental blinked in surprise and nodded. She dared look at Khan again. “There’s something more, My Lord. When we tested Nyoka’s blood we determined that she is at least half human, her other origins came back as inconclusive.”

“I’m aware,” Khan said. “It’s why we suspected this might turn out dangerous for her.”

Voda nodded. “I will accept the blame for that, My Lord. I didn’t think to test her DNA code against Riddick’s.”

“Mine?” Riddick said.

She nodded. “Just now I felt an energy inside her that I can only imagine to be the famed Furyan energy. We don’t have Furyan DNA on record so it didn’t come up during the tests and I didn’t even consider the possibility she might be part Furyan. If you allow me to try the same with your consort, My Lord, I can confirm it to an extent. A DNA sample would be best th-”

She cut herself short as a growl emanated from Khan’s chest. “He is right here, Voda! It's Riddick’s permission you need and Vaako’s, if you are to do more tests on his unconscious wife! Not mine.”

Vaako saw the healer go pale at Khan’s words and tone. Whatever she had triggered inside Khan with her assumptions it was obvious that the man felt very strongly about it. Vaako was relieved. To him, it was a sign that Khan would not be the kind of leader that would disregard his people’s wishes. He was glad that he hadn’t once again pledged their lives to a tyrant, not that they had much choice the first time.

“Easy Beastie,” Riddick murmured.

“I meant no insult to your...to Riddick or Vaako, My Lord. Please forgive me.”

Khan’s demeanor changed back to someone who felt extremely tired. He shook his head. “No, I overreacted. I know you’re not like them.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away, when he turned back he had the neutral expression Vaako was used to seeing. “But it is up to them. No one should have the right to examine or experiment on others without their explicit permission.”

Vaako exchanged a glance with Riddick, the Furyan seemed worried, though Vaako guessed it was for Khan, not the tests. “A sample would be acceptable,” Vaako said, “If it will help her know more of who she really is.”

Riddick nodded. “A DNA sample, you’re not doing that water magic thing on me.”

Voda inclined her head respectfully. “As you wish.” 

***

_Nyoka felt like she was floating in a sea of light. It was a strange sensation, every part of her body was tingling but it was not unpleasant. She wondered for a moment if she was dead and this was the Underverse, but she always thought of the Underverse as a dark and scary place, no matter what the Purifiers told them._

_She caught movement on the edge of her vision and turned. Did she turn? Did she even have a body here? She saw a woman moving away from her. Her long, light brown hair was styled with braids, bits of metal and beads. Her dress seemed to be made of dark, brown leather with a gold and red corset over it. A paludamentum cloak with a ragged hemline billowed behind her as she walked towards...Khan._

_Nyoka tried to call out to him but she found that she had no voice. She could only watch as the woman approached Khan and spoke to him. Khan’s eyes fixed on Nyoka then and the strange woman stepped aside for him to pass. With each step Khan took towards her the light grew brighter and brighter until everything turned a blinding white. Nyoka tried to reach out to him and the last thing she saw was Khan holding out his hand and a blast of light shot from it to her chest._

She blinked and groaned at the light that made her eyes water. She brought her hand up to block some of the light and blinked again.

“Nyoka!” Vaako’s voice, full of worry. 

She felt him take the hand that still lay on her side and turned her head. Her poor husband looked like he hadn’t slept in days, there were lines of worry all over his face. She wanted to reach out and smooth them away. “Vaako,” was all she managed to say.

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “Welcome back, my love.”

She stared at the hand held between her husband’s own. His hands felt so warm and rough and his mouth had been so soft...it wasn’t the usual dull sensation she’d felt in the past, this was more, so much more. She smiled and he instantly smiled back at her. “It worked,” she croaked. “I can feel you.” Tears that had nothing to do with the bright lights of sickbay started spilling out of her eyes.

“Oh, Nyoka,” Vaako said, his own eyes watering a bit. “May I hold you?” She nodded her head and made room for him on the biobed. He carefully climbed in next to her and gently gathered her in his arms. “Are you in any pain?” he asked.

She shook her head, remembering how he had reacted after his own dose of Khan’s blood but she felt no discomfort at all. She felt great. “No,” she whispered. “I feel your warmth, your touch...it's overwhelming but in a good way. It’s like...like being back to my childhood home.”

He kissed the crown of her head and wrapped his arms around her tighter. “We are home, my love. No matter what happens, we have each other.”

She smiled. “Damn Underverse come or not.”

He chuckled and she realized how much both of them had changed, in such a short time. They were no longer Necromongers, she had no idea what they were now. All she knew was that she felt human again and she never wanted to let that feeling go, ever again. 

A long time passed with them just enjoying holding each other before she asked. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Khan ordered everyone to give us some privacy after he…”

“What?” she lifted her head to look into her husband’s eyes. The way he looked back at her, she knew he was looking for the right words. “Just spit it out, Vaako.”

“You had a reaction to his blood,” Vaako began, searching her eyes. “The same one Riddick had, according to them.”

“What sort of reaction?”

“The doctors and Khan were debating this for a while, there was that inconclusive part in your tests and then the-”

She sat up. “Vaako! What sort of reaction?”

“A Furyan reaction.”

She blinked down at him. “Come again?”

“You’re part Furyan.”

A very uncharacteristic giggle escaped her lips. “Me,” she said, incredulous. “Furyan?” She found the idea so ridiculous that she began laughing.

Vaako sat up next to her with a worried expression that only served to make her laugh even harder. “You’re delirious...I’m calling the doctors.” He jumped off the biobed and hurried to the door.

“Vaako,” she gasped. “Wait.” She took a few mirth filled breaths before she could speak again. “I’m fine. It’s just...me, a Furyan. Like Riddick.” She smiled and knew she probably still looked manic, then another thought occurred to her. “Just how many Furyans did that idiot have under his roof before one of them finally got him?”

Vaako looked even more confused and worried. “Who?”

“Lord Marshal Zhylaw!” she said and started laughing again.

***

Riddick had allowed Voda to take her DNA sample and then took Khan out of there. He could sense Khan’s mood had changed drastically the moment Voda had asked him for permission on Riddick’s and Vaako’s behalf. It had been a strange stab of fear followed by deep anger that shot through their bond at him. Riddick suspected why, but he didn’t want to push Khan on the matter, the Beastie would tell him when he was good and ready.

“Not going to the mess hall today?” He asked instead when he noticed that Khan made no attempt to put on the rest of his clothes. 

Since the day Kirk and McCoy left to return to their time, Khan had made it a point to mingle with the Elementals. Riddick knew that Khan was trying to get a better sense of these people who claimed to come from his own brothers and sisters, but he did not yet feel any bonds to them, any loyalty, and that bothered Khan more than he would ever admit. 

Breakfast at the mess hall was their daily first stop. It had been an eye opener for Riddick, he never realized until then that the Beastie was actually a sociable creature. He genuinely seemed to enjoy the company of others and they in turn were drawn to him like moths to a flame. Khan had an easy charm about him that made everyone wish to engage with him, yet he also had a bearing that inspired respect and didn’t let others get too close to him. It all seemed so effortless to him that Riddick was almost envious. He had never felt comfortable around many people and, usually, what he inspired was fear. Not that he minded, most of the time, but he wondered if his life would have been any different if he could also charm people like that. 

Khan sighed and sat on the sofa. “Would you mind if we stayed in today?”

Riddick crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. “I supposed it is kind of late now for breakfast,” he said. “And word on how you were glowing like some kind of god has probably spread throughout the ship by now. Did you notice how your little fan disappeared? She’s probably singing your praises to anyone that will listen.” Riddick was teasing but the look Khan gave him was so weary that he regretted his attempt at lightening the mood.

“Are you angry with me?”

The question surprised Riddick so much his jaw almost dropped open. “Why would I be angry with you?”

“I know you don’t like the attention. You would rather things quietened down and I seem to keep…” he waved his hands, looking for the right words.

“Crashlanding in my backyard?” Riddick chuckled and pushed off the wall to join Khan on the sofa. “Ah, Beastie. It’s true, there’s never a dull day with you, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’m done hiding in caves.” He wrapped an arm around the smaller man and pulled him to lay back on the sofa with him. Khan snuggled up against him and pulled his legs over Riddick’s legs. “Staying in today does sound nice,” Riddick added as they settled down.

“Seems like we found one of your people sooner than expected,” Khan said.

Riddick could sense Khan’s apprehension as he said that. It was no secret that he and Nyoka didn’t have a good start but even though they weren’t friends, Riddick didn’t feel resentment for the former Necromonger either. “That’s...interesting,” he said carefully. “I know you like her and maybe now that she’s no longer a Necro she won’t be such a...snake.”

Khan chuckled. “I wouldn’t hold my breath. She reminds me of Suzette and if Nyoka is anything like her, she’ll only get worse now.”

Riddick felt Khan slump in his arms and a sense of sadness and longing crept through the bond. Khan rarely mentioned his family now, though Riddick knew they were often on his mind, but when he spoke of them like this, impulsively, it was like a stab to the heart. “She is also one of yours,” Riddick ventured. “We all are, everyone on this ship.”

Khan pulled out of his arms and looked at him. “ _You_ are the most important person in the world for me. Even if we went back to my people right now, that would not change. I will always miss them, but I am glad I’m with you.”

Riddick blinked at the sudden statement, emotions was also something Khan rarely spoke of. He remembered then that even though the bond was stronger on his side, Khan could also tap into it. He reached out and cupped Khan’s cheek, running his thumb over the sharp cheekbone. He couldn’t help but feel some guilt and also jealousy when Khan missed his family. He knew Khan loved him, but this was the first time Khan had stated that Riddick was that important to him. He never realized how much he had needed to hear that, know that. Khan’s gaze was unwavering, the truth of his words clear in his piercing eyes and Riddick was at a loss for words, so he did what he knew best. Action instead of words. He pulled Khan in and kissed him with all the emotion he felt.


	2. Chapter 2

Nyoka looked at herself in the mirror. She didn’t just feel different, she also looked different. Even the dark skin around her eyes, that she had so carefully burned in, had been healed. She looked younger, alive! She touched her cheeks, feeling how smooth the skin felt, flexible, and her complexion so perfect.

“Should I leave you two alone?” Vaako teased from behind her.

She looked at him through the mirror and smiled. “Don’t you dare,” she said and turned. She got up slowly and walked up to him, swinging her hips just so. She saw the amusement in his eyes quickly transform into lust as she reached out to place her hand on his broad chest. She began circling him, her hand never leaving his body, caressing as she went. “I feel a sudden hunger,” she purred. “A _deep_ need to feel and taste _everything_.” She came full circle and placed both hands on his chest, caressing upwards to lace her fingers behind his neck. “Starting with your lips,” she whispered and pulled him down.

When their lips met it was all she imagined and more. Vaako wrapped his arms around her waist and took charge of the kiss. She didn’t mind, she didn’t need pain to feel something. Instead they kissed gently for the first time, slowly, savoring every sensation. It made her legs weaken and tremble and she was sure she would fall if Vaako hadn’t been holding on to her.

When Vaako finally pulled back she didn’t want to stop, she hungrily began kissing everything she could reach. His jaw, his neck, the dip between his collar bones.

Vaako was panting and a low moan rumbled in his chest. “Are you-” he moaned again when she licked up his Adam's apple. “Are you sure you’re ready?” he finished.

She tore the light shirt he was wearing open. “More than ready,” she said hastily, kissing down the revealed skin.

Vaako tore his shirt the rest of the way and freed himself of the remnants. Nyoka stepped back to look at him, taking in the rippling muscles as he began to unlace his pants. She unhooked the buckles holding her dress at the shoulders. The dress flowed off her body like water to pool at her feet. That was one positive thing about loose fitting clothes that she was suddenly grateful for. Then Vaako was standing naked before her and proud...in every sense. He took the two steps that separated them and wrapped her in his arms. His body was hard but also soft at the same time and his shaft, now trapped between them, felt hot against her belly. 

“I love you,” he said, “so much.”

She lifted herself on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and neck. “I love you too, more than I can say in words.”

He bent down to kiss her again and his hands moved down to her hips, around her ass and gripped firmly at the base of her cheeks. With one smooth motion he lifted her in the air and she wrapped her legs around him. She moaned into his mouth as his shaft rubbed against her center and she gripped him tighter around the neck, moving her hips to repeat the sensation. It felt good, so unexpectedly good. She felt Vaako begin to tremble between her legs and his grip on her ass tightened, almost halting her movements, as he began to hastily walk towards the bed. He broke the kiss, glanced around her to see where the bed was and turned to sit on it with her on his lap.

They resumed kissing, their hands exploring each other’s bodies until she began rubbing against him again. His hands settled on her hips and his mouth left hers to trace fire down her neck to her breasts. He sucked on one of the nipples and Nyoka nearly lost all control. She twisted her fingers into his hair and pulled his head back.

“I want you inside me, now!” she hissed and didn’t wait for an answer as she reclaimed his mouth and lifted her hips. She reached between them with her free hand and guided his member to her entrance. She lowered herself slowly on his long, thick shaft, enjoying every inch of it. She felt his hands squeeze her ass as he let out a desperate moan and she began to ride him almost frantically. She broke the kiss before they both suffocated and gripped his shoulders, increasing her pace and movements. She felt his cock hit something inside her that shot stars through her vision and caused her to yelp with pleasure. She tried to change her angle to repeat it and after a couple of tries it did and she took full advantage of it.

“This feels so good!” she moaned. “It _has_ to be a sin!” 

Vaako too was moaning and breathing hard, and when their eyes locked she knew he too was almost gone. His hips had begun to also move at some point, meeting her halfway, hitting that spot all the more and Nyoka felt like she was about to implode. She realized that she was practically screaming his name now but she didn’t care, she knew she was close to something akin to transcendence and so was he. She saw it in his eyes when it happened and felt it throughout her body. It was like a sun went supernova inside her. Their bodies jerked beyond their control and there was a sharp spear of intense pleasure which then slowly settled to gentle waves. She could feel herself pulsing around Vaako’s shaft and his hot breath on her chest as he had bent his head to rest his forehead on it. They remained like that for a while, catching their breath, disbelieving what they had just experienced.

“Purifiers are idiots,” she finally panted. “This… _this_ is reason enough to be alive.”

***

Khan sat sideways on the sofa with his back against the arm rest, his legs on the cushion, and Joaquin’s book propped on his thighs. He had been putting off reading it for days. Not because he wasn’t curious, but because he feared that, despite Joaquin’s optimistic note at the beginning, he would find that he made a mistake in staying here. He had been tempted more than once to force Aereon to send him and Riddick back and damn the consequences.

“Delaying it won’t change what’s written in there,” Riddick said.

Khan looked at the big guy. He had been sharpening his new knife but obviously that didn’t keep him from sensing Khan’s emotions. Khan was a bit envious of that, he could also sense Riddick but only if he focused on it. After they returned from sickbay he had sensed something from Riddick he hadn’t before and it had worried him. At first he thought it was anger but as it turned out, Riddick was feeling a bit insecure. Khan didn’t blame him, the big guy wasn’t used to being the center of attention, something Khan had been his whole life. Which was why he suggested they stay in their room. The second round of sex that followed had been a plus as well, sweet like, the way Riddick liked it. 

“I don’t know what’s in here to wish it to change,” he said, turning his thoughts back to the matter at hand. He stroked the book's spine with his finger. “I gave Joaquin orders before I even read this...what if I made a mistake? What if I-”

“Beastie,” Riddick said, putting the knife and whetstone on the table. “From what you told me of the man, he would not follow orders from a letter blindly. Would he?”

Would he? Khan wondered. Joaquin had challenged his orders a few times in the past and even changed his mind a few times, but the final word had always been Khan’s. “Perhaps not.”

“Start with the first page, you don’t have to read it all in one sitting,” Riddick prompted gently. “Read it outloud to me, if you want.”

Khan grinned. “Do you want me to? After all, he could be your ancestor.” He felt surprise and amusement through the bond. Riddick probably hadn’t even considered that.

“I want you to,” he said softly, picking his knife and whetstone back up.

Khan took a deep breath and opened the book. He resisted the urge to read the note again and carefully turned the page. “Call me Ishmael,” he read and barked a laugh.

“Ishmael?” Riddick asked, glancing at him curiously.

Khan couldn’t keep a straight face. “He’s making a joke. Ishmael is a character from my favorite book. In this case he’s letting me know that the events on this page are in his past and making a joke on the words I had Kirk speak to him,” Khan explained and looked back at the page. “Call me Ishmael. For it has been a few years since these events took place, My Lord, and like Ishmael we took a ship to the unknown and found ourselves on strange shores. Do not worry though, that is where Ishmael and I parted ways. For even though, like our friend Ishmael, I was desperate for kinship upon my awakening, my captain did right by me and provided me with an ally.” Khan paused as his emotions threatened to take over his voice.

“He means Kirk,” Riddick said and Khan nodded. “Your friend has a flare for story telling.” 

Khan took another deep breath and kept reading. Joaquin was recounting his first day awake in the 23rd century. Even though he never mentioned the men by name his descriptions of McCoy and Kirk were so spot on that Khan shook his head. He spoke well of both Starfleet officers and their attempts to put him at ease, how Kirk gave him the letter that very same day and prepared him as best he could about what was to come. The Federation was moving fast, probably wanting to catch Joaquin off guard and get an honest reaction from him, but from what he said of his first official meeting with the Federation, Joaquin had surpassed their expectations.

“Those Tellarites sound like quite the characters,” Riddick said after they were both done laughing at Joaquin’s recounting of that meeting.

Before Khan knew it he had read seven pages describing Joaquin’s first day and when he flipped to the next page he found himself looking at two pages with detailed drawings of all the aliens Joaquin had met that day. “Here,” he said, handing the book over to Riddick. 

Riddick chuckled. “I can see why he thought the Tellarites looked like pigs. I’ve never seen any of these species before but the Vulcan’s look a bit like Aquilans.”

Khan’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s one of the Four...are you sure?”

Riddick nodded. “Their ears weren’t that pointed and their eyebrows are different, but yeah, there are similarities. I only ever saw a couple though, I could be wrong.”

“Or exactly right,” Khan said. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that possibility.

“You got an issue with Vulcans?” Riddick asked.

Khan considered that, he thought of Spock, the only Vulcan he had had any considerable amount of interaction with. He was surprised to find that he felt no anger towards the man. “One of them was the reason I was captured.”

“Kirk’s pointy-eared friend. I remember you mentioning him when you were scaring the boy half to death.”

Khan snorted. “Kirk is hardly a boy, but yes, that’s the one. Spock.”

“What happened between you and this Spock?”

“He chased me down after the ship crashed into the city. We fought. I was arrogant, angry, I didn’t end the fight fast as I should. I was attempting to crush his skull when this woman showed up and used a stun gun on me, then Spock got the upper hand and beat me into unconsciousness.” He noticed Riddick’s raised eyebrow. “Don’t look at me like that, Vulcans are stronger than humans and I was already injured.”

“Is that why you dislike them?”

Khan shook his head. “I don’t dislike them. I don’t hate Spock either, though if I saw him right now I might try to kill him on principle,” he grinned then shrugged. “I get that he was doing what he thought he should, just as I did what I thought I should. I guess I never thought that they might contribute to my people’s bloodlines but... It is what it is.”

Riddick held the book out to him and Khan took it, looking down at the drawings again. He hadn’t known Joaquin could draw like that, then again they never had time to explore their more artistic sides before. He smiled.

***

Riddick gave the book back to Khan and watched as the younger man looked down at the images with unmistakable fondness, a faint smile turning the corners of his lips. Khan looked so young in that moment, curled up on the sofa with just his pants on, his unruly fringe nearly covering his right eye, his features relaxed, soft. He must’ve sensed Riddick watching him because he looked up at him from under his lashes and his smile took on a mischievous cast.

“You are so damn cute,” Riddick said.

Khan’s eyebrows shot up and he laughed nervously. “I’ve been called many things, cute was never one of them.”

Riddick knew that that was probably very true, but he could also sense that his words had pleased the younger man. “I’ve called you cute before,” he said. “It was after the first time we slept together,” he added when Khan tilted his head inquisitively.

Khan's eyes widened and immediately narrowed. “That didn’t count, you were being an ass.”

Riddick smirked. “There was an ass involved. Yours as I recall.”

“Riddick…”

Riddick chuckled. “You can always sit on my lap and shut me up.” He winked.

“Tried that, doesn’t work.”

It was Riddick’s turn to be surprised. He burst out laughing when Khan blinked at him all innocent like. “Third time’s the charm,” He said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Khan shook his head but his grin softened his words. “You are not only incorrigible but insatiable too,” he said and put the book on the table.

“That a no?” Riddick reached over and grabbed Khan’s leg, pulling him across the sofa and onto his lap. Khan came willingly, kind of, he didn’t resist and he had his dimple showing smile on. It always gave Riddick a thrill when he could sense how much the younger man enjoyed it when Riddick took charge. They kissed for a moment then Riddick pulled back and eyed him. “I can almost hear those gears in your brain spinning, what are you thinking?”

Khan looked guilty for a moment. “Necromongers.”

Riddick sighed and smacked his ass. “Found a way to shut me up, I see.”

Khan gave him a brief, apologetic kiss and got off his lap. He paced a few steps and turned to look at him, all business. “They are probably on our heels as we speak.”

“It's possible,” Riddick said and leaned back on the sofa, resting his arms on its back. “It's also very possible that Krone will want to Transcend right away. He won’t want to repeat the mistakes of the last two Lord Marshals.”

Khan scowled. “Transcend?”

Riddick shrugged. “Something to do with their faith. I never gave a fuck about it, probably why they tried to assassinate me at least once a week.”

“Is this like their conversion?”

Riddick shook his head. “It’s something only the Lord Marshal does. They claim it gives him some kind of power over life and death. Makes him a Half-Dead freak.”

Khan crossed his arms. “Is there any truth to it? What kind of power?”

“Vaako claimed that Lord Marshal Zhylaw, the one I killed, got his abilities from transcending.” He frowned as he thought about it. “Fucker wasn’t easy to ghost, I give him that.”

“What sort of abilities did he have?”

“Vaako called it Soulpower or Astral Projecting. He could move his soul outside his body and that somehow gave him inhuman speed and strength and he could tear the soul from someone’s body. I’ve seen all that first hand.” 

Khan’s eyes turned icy, it had been a while since Riddick saw the beast behind his mate’s eyes. “I think it's time we checked on Nyoka’s recovery,” Khan said.

“You already have their loyalty, Beastie, you can just ask. I’m sure after all that’s happened they’ll be more than happy to tell you every Necromonger weakness there is.” Even as Riddick said it he felt a wave of doubt from Khan. It seemed that Vaako still had to prove himself to his new leader.

“Let’s have them over for dinner,” Khan said after a short hesitation. “See how it goes.”

Riddick smiled. “How civilized of us. I love dinner parties.”

***

Nyoka was basking in her afterglow when their room chime sounded. Vaako stirred next to her and she caressed the perfect globe of his ass. “You stay as you are, love. I’ll get rid of them,” she said and got out of bed. She threw on one of the loose Elemental dresses they provided her with and glided to the door. She hesitated as an imposing Elemental man with a sour expression stood on the other side. The man was almost as big as Riddick.

“What is it?” she snapped, standing to her full height and looking down her nose at him. She didn’t like people that intimidated her.

“Lord Khan has requested your attendance at dinner.” He glanced past her and his nose wrinkled. “Now.”

She didn’t need to look behind her to know Vaako had gotten out of bed and was approaching them. “We will need a few minutes,” Vaako said, coming to stand next to her. “Unless Lord Khan likes his guests smelling of sex?”

The man made a disgusted face and stepped back a step. “You have fifteen minutes,” he said.

Nyoka closed the door in his face without answering. “That…that...Is this how it’s going to be? Second class citizens?” Vaako didn’t seem bothered, which annoyed her even more. “I’m of a mind to refuse!”

“Once again you allow your ego to rule your mind,” Vaako said, heading for the shower. “We owe Khan our lives and I have a feeling that the attitude was the Elemental’s alone.”

“Why would you think that?”

“I don’t believe that the man, who nearly attacked a healer for not asking our permission for further tests, would suddenly take away our choices.”

Nyoka crossed her arms and glared at the door. “Then perhaps his Lordship should hear about this mistreatment,” she hissed.

Vaako paused at the door to the bathroom and raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps you should wait until you’re in his good graces before making demands?”

Nyoka huffed. “I am in his good graces, we slept together.” She stormed past Vaako, ignoring his shocked look and trying to hide her grin. She removed her dress and stepped into the shower. “Are you coming?” she called out. “We wouldn’t want to be late.”

“What?” Vaako growled coming after her.

She turned on the water. “I said, we wouldn’t want to be late.”

“Nyoka.” This a lower growl.

“Oh relax,” she said, trying not to laugh. “Nothing happened. We were in that shuttle with Riddick and the two breeders. You were dying, I was worried and exhausted. He was comforting me and I slept in his arms, that’s it, totally innocent. Now get that delicious ass in here.”

They showered quickly and changed into their best clothes, which were the worst clothes Nyoka had ever had. Beggars can’t be choosers, Vaako had reminded her, but she didn’t plan on being a beggar for long. This dinner could be their chance to carve and secure a place for themselves at Khan’s side. They just needed to make themselves useful.

The large Elemental escorted them to Khan’s and Riddick’s rooms without another word, though he made his feelings about them clear with the once-over he gave them when they joined him outside. They waited behind him as he rang the chime and Khan himself opened the door.

The Elemental quickly bowed and announced them as if they were at some grand reception. Nyoka frowned at the sense of surprise that suddenly came over her. Khan gave the guard a curt nod and turned his attention to them. As his eyes met hers a wave of relief and amusement washed over her which was quickly replaced by a sense of cautiousness.

“Lord Vaako, Lady Vaako.” Khan’s voice was as smooth as silk. “Thank you for accepting our invitation. I hope we didn’t inconvenience you?”

 _So, we’re playing this game_ , Nyoka thought. She offered a deep curtsy just as Vaako bowed. She noticed the Elemental shifting uncomfortably on his feet from her peripheral vision. _That’s right, your Lord is more respectful than you._

“Not at all, My Lord,” Vaako said and Nyoka didn’t miss the warning glance directed her way. “We are at your service.”

Khan inclined his head and turned his attention back to the Elemental. “Thank you, dismissed.” He didn’t wait to see the man’s reaction. He stepped back and waved them inside. “I thought Floga would be the one to invite you,” he said once the door closed behind them.

Nyoka heard and felt that as an apology, she also felt a wave of amusement and her eyes fell on Riddick. The Furyan sat nonchalantly on the sofa with a smirk on his face.

“Told you,” Riddick said, “You’re a god now.”

The sudden turn to casual had her poor husband at a loss for words. Nyoka stepped in and up to Khan. “Thank you, Khan, for everything,” she said and tiptoed to kiss his cheek. She was relieved and pleased when he lowered his head so she could reach him and felt a wave of affection as her lips touched his skin. She also liked that he took it as his due instead of offering false attempts at humility.

“Dinner isn’t here yet,” Khan said and indicated they should move to the sitting area. “But we have wine.”

“And good company,” Nyoka said.

“At ease, Vaako,” Khan said, giving her husband a side glance and an amused smile. “It’s only dinner. We just want to see how you two are adjusting.”

Nyoka drew in a sudden breath, which she quickly masked as amusement, but for an instant she had the impression that Khan had an ulterior motive. She didn’t feel threatened, more like a kind of impatience came over her.

“Sorry, we were led to believe this was a formal occasion,” Vaako was saying but Nyoka was barely listening.

Khan’s eyes locked on hers and his eyebrows knitted together. He was alert, worried and very...curious about her. Nyoka realized then that her heart rate had gone up and that Khan could probably hear it.

“Something wrong?” Vaako asked, and Nyoka saw him take a small protective step towards her.

Khan blinked and turned to her husband. “Not at all.” He smiled uncertainly and glanced at Nyoka one more time before turning away. “Let’s sit.”

They followed him to the sitting area and sat down on the chairs. Though the chairs were ridiculously comfortable, she wished she could sit closer to her husband. Something was happening to her that she did not understand, that she wasn’t prepared for.

“So, how are you feeling?” Khan purred as he sat next to Riddick. Though he appeared relaxed she knew he was on edge.

She looked at him and forced a smile. “I’m not sure,” she said. She was too overwhelmed to think clearly. There was a flash of sympathy.

“You might need some time to adjust,” Riddick said, and stroked Khan’s back. She recognized it as an attempt to calm the other man. “Are you feeling what Vaako felt?”

She saw it as well as felt it when some of the tension left Khan’s body and the feeling of unease subsited a bit. She took a deep breath. “In truth, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed,” she managed. “I’m unsure of the source. It’s as if...I’m feeling everything at once but it's not physical like Vaako experienced.”

“Maybe we should go back to our room?” Vaako asked gently.

Annoyance. Impatience. Worry.

She looked at Khan and frowned. “I felt that! You don’t want us to go because you need something from us.” The words were out of her mouth before she realized what she was saying and to who.

Khan’s eyes widened and there was a sudden wave of shock, perhaps a bit of fear, and then it felt like someone flipped a switch. She could sense nothing from Khan anymore and the sudden absence of those strong emotions made her reel back into her chair. The outside influence on her emotions was not completely gone though. She could still sense a rising confusion coming from Riddick, as the Furyan turned to look at Khan with a surprised frown.

“You can sense my emotions?” Khan breathed, causing Riddick to look back at her.

She could sense the Furyan’s surprise. “Riddick’s too,” she said and wondered if they heard her, as her voice didn’t make it above a whisper. “What’s happening to me?”

“What _is_ happening?” Vaako growled.

Nyoka looked at her husband. He looked as if he didn’t know if he should be worried or angry but she felt nothing from him. “I get nothing from you,” she told him. She felt like she was in a daze, her mouth wouldn’t shut up. 

“I don’t understand,” Vaako said with a worried frown.

Khan sighed and leaned back on the sofa. “She has the Furyan ability you told me about,” he told Riddick. “Some kind of empathy.”

Nyoka snorted. “I never had an empathic shred in my life!”

“That’s besides the point.” Khan said with a slight grin. “This ability was probably dormant until my blood activated it. You are part Furyan, after all.”

“So all Furyans have this ability?” Vaako asked.

“We’re not sure,” Riddick said. “As you know the only other Furyan I’ve met was the Purifier and that briefly. I’m surprised she can sense Khan though. Aereon said it only works between people with Furyan blood.”

“But...I can’t sense him now…” she said cautiously.

“Neither can I,” Riddick said. “He does that sometimes.”

Khan smiled sheepishly. “You took me by surprise. I thought only Riddick would be able to do that with me, because of the Bond.” He looked at Riddick then and her sense of him came back like a gravity gun blast.

She gasped. Khan’s emotions were strong, how did the man handle them? "It's true! I _can_ sense your emotions…since I’m pretty sure _I’m_ not madly in love with Riddick. This is a bit confusing. It feels like my own but at the same time not."

Khan chuckled nervously. She had embarrassed him but he didn’t hold it against her. "You should try to stay out of my head, you don't want to go down that rabbit hole."

"Rabbit hole? I don't know what that means."

"It means to take a dive into insanity."

She laughed. "You're no more insane than the rest of us. This will take some getting used to but...I might already be insane, since I'm starting to like the idea of being a Furyan and somehow bonded to you."

"Hey," Riddick said jokingly, though she was sure only half jokingly. "We had a deal, you're not stealing him."

Nyoka feigned a shocked expression. "Of course not! I would never…" She grinned wickedly as she felt amusement coming from Khan. "Though you might have to learn how to share. I know! Maybe all four of us can bond tonight...Is your bed large enough?"

"Nyoka!" Vaako exclaimed.

Khan looked and felt just as scandalized at the idea but to her delight and amusement Riddick burst out laughing.

"He gets it," she said when the big guy settled down. She looked at Khan. “In all seriousness though, I understand that you don’t like the idea of me prying into your emotions. We can agree here and now that I’ll keep my mouth shut about it and I’ll try to see if there’s a way to...turn it off.”

Khan’s eyes softened and she felt a wave of gratefulness but to her surprise he shook his head. “You should not limit your potential for my sake and it might prove useful later on, when we meet more Furyans.”

“When?” Both she and Vaako asked.

“I plan to find Furya. This new ability of yours might prove useful. I’m curious to see if other Furyan’s will be able to sense me as well, or if this has something to do with my blood and what happened earlier.”

 _This is it_ , Nyoka thought. Khan was a cautious man by nature but he needed allies as much as they did. He wanted to trust her and Vaako and she wanted a place for her and Vaako at his side. “Vaako offered to serve you, the same stands for me. All you have to do is ask.”

Khan hesitated, nodded and leaned forward. He looked at both of them in turn. “First, I need to know everything you know about Necromongers.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to LiteraryHedonism for beta-reading this chapter and for their valuable insight!  
> And as always thank you to all who have left me comments/kudos, your support means a lot!
> 
> On another note...I've been considering doing some time skips now and then with this story. What do you think? :) 
> 
> I hope everyone is well. Stay safe.


	3. Chapter 3

“Impressive,” Khan said looking around them. When Aereon invited him for a walk in the arboretum he didn’t think that it would be this big. There were cobblestone paths, framed by flowerbeds, herbs, and trees on each side and, most impressive of all, the ceiling resembled a blue sky, complete with lazy-moving clouds.  
There were Elementals around each turn, working the gardens, or harvesting herbs but, other than pausing long enough to respectfully bow to him, they didn’t interfere with their progress through the arboretum. 

Khan approached a tree that caught his eye. It almost looked like a weeping willow in shape, but its leaves had a silver tint to them and its branches were heavy with small blue flowers. He reached out and caressed one of the branches.

“Suzette’s kiss,” Aereon said and Khan’s head whipped around to stare at her. She smiled. “Yes, that Suzette. It is said that your sister genetically engineered this tree, enhancing its healing properties. We brought it with us from the old world. It is still used in the creation of many medicines.”

Khan looked back at the tree and the branch still in his hand. He ran his thumb gently over the pedals of one of the blue flowers. “She always had an interest in medicine and genetics. She believed genetics paired with medicine could save the world, despite what we’ve been through in the hands of science.”

“It’s not the weapon but the hands that wield it.”

Khan let go of the branch and resumed their walk. “Except that we were weapons.”

“We will be arriving at Quintessa tomorrow, My Lord,” Aereon said, after a long silence.

Khan nodded but his thoughts were on another matter. “You said there was no Augment blood left among the Necromongers, yet by chance two former Necromongers are aboard this ship, both with Augment blood in their veins and Riddick spoke of another. Tell me, Aereon, what are the odds of that?”

“We didn’t think it was possible to reverse the conversion process so I saw no need to trouble you with that information. We didn’t mislead you, My Lord, you simply changed the odds.” She put a hand on his arm, he stopped and turned to face her. “That doesn’t make them any less dangerous.”

“Nor does it make me any less inclined to end them,” he said with a bite of ice in his voice. “But hide facts from me again, Aereon, and you can find yourself another figurehead to spearhead this war.”

She bowed her head. “You have my word, My Lord.”

Khan kept walking. “I reviewed all the information you’ve given me about Quintessa. You’ve isolated yourselves quite early from the other Elder races. Why?”

“Arrogance,” Aereon said. “We thought ourselves better, above the squabbles of humanity in which the other Elder races still involved themselves in. In time, we became what you see now. We even made ourselves believe that the reason we didn’t get involved was for the best. That with our superior knowledge and historical position it would be wrong for us to involve ourselves in the day-to-day affairs of others.”

“You said that before and it sounded familiar then as it does now.” Khan said, inclining his head to a group of Elementals that had bowed at him.

Aereon smiled sadly. “You probably heard something like it when you were awakened the first time. Starfleet’s Prime Directive, I believe that was where we got the idea from.”

Khan looked at her from the corner of his eye. “How did that work out for you?”

“On the plus side, we are the only ones left standing, on the down side...we are the only ones left standing.”

“A passive race out of Augment blood, what a waste,” Khan said, he couldn’t help but feel some anger at the wasted opportunities.

“More neutral than passive, My Lord.”

“No such thing.”

“Perhaps. The Austeres tried to force others to see things their way, they believed that the weak should be eliminated or subjugated, much like their Leader of old, you, had presumably attempted to do. However their allies would have nothing to do with that ideal, because we knew that that had never been _your_ true goal. History can so easily be twisted to fit one's own desires, especially when you idolize it. The Austeres eventually grew bitter, resentful of others, even their allies, so they left to build their own world. In time they found a new leader, a scientist-philosopher who came to be known as Covu the Transcended and the Austeres came to be known as the Necromongers.” She moved ahead of him and put herself in his path, only his quick reflexes prevented him from bumping into her. “The Elementals left for different reasons but Elementals and Necromongers are two sides of the same coin. I see that now. We both chose two far extremes and that might be the ruin of us all. That’s why we need you, to help us find the middle ground, to bring us all together again, as one people.”

Khan looked down at her, he tried to see his people in her but if there was any trace of them it eluted him. He could see them in Riddick and Nyoka, maybe even Vaako, but not in the woman before him. “What do you know about transcending and the Underverse?” he asked.

She looked a bit disappointed but smiled. “Always the warrior, but you will need to be a politician at some point, My Lord,” she said and then seemed to consider his question. “What the Necromongers call the Threshold to the Underverse is actually a kind of worm hole. No one except the Necromonger Lord Marshals have been through...at least not since they discovered it and put a claim to it.”

“So there have been others, before them?”

“Yes, a long time ago.” She took his arm and got them walking again. “The Aquilans probably had more information on this but we Elementals also gather bits of odd information on occasion. There were rumors about a wormhole, inside a nebula the color of blood. There is one story in particular, of a ship that went through this phenomenon and somehow came back out. However, the pilot was different, changed, not fully human...half alive and half...something else. His time in that other place also granted him a plethora of inhuman powers.”

Khan nodded. “Enhanced strength, stamina, durability, and the ability to detach his soul from his body, granting him super speed. Vaako and Riddick told me that the Lord Marshal possessed these abilities. They even said he could snatch someone’s soul from their body. Here’s my problem with that, Aereon...I don’t believe in souls.”

She looked up at him then. “Neither do I, My Lord, at least not in that sense. It was believed at the time that this man had been possessed by an incorporeal being which gave him these abilities. He also came back with a deep-seated hatred for all corporeal lifeforms. Claiming that life was a disease that must be cleansed from the universe.”

“That’s what the Necromongers believe.”

“Yes, if the rumors are true and these creatures do exist, Covu made the perfect symbiote. Their goals were similar to his beliefs. From what I’ve seen of the last Lord Marshal, I am inclined to believe the rumors are true.”

“Vaako said that Covu crossed over this Threshold with the corpses of his family and upon his return claimed to have seen them rise from the dead on the other side.” He shook his head. “These beings possessed their corpses, didn’t they?”

“Very likely. It seems they learned from the others that came before Covu and instead of just forcing their hosts to kill indiscreetly they used them, worked with them, to build an empire that would do it for them, by preying on their beliefs and giving them hope.”

“The Underverse.” He had always believed that religion of any kind was a dangerous thing, here was the proof. “So, they made themselves gods, promised another verse, one that your dead come back to life...but first you have to kill them and any other living being. Then they sent one of their own back with the human host and made him appear god-like to his followers. So they follow him blindly, willingly, into their own destruction.” He laughed. “It’s almost perfect.”

“Perfect enough to wipe out whole civilizations and their planets along with them.”

Khan hummed. “How do you kill them?”

“By killing the host.”

“No,” Khan said and grinned. “Not how do you kill the one in this verse...how do you kill _them_? We’ll need to capture the new Lord Marshal, alive.”

***

Nyoka frowned when Vaako missed an obvious opportunity to strike at Riddick. She had seen enough soldiers train to know he could have blocked Riddick’s move and gone for the opening it would have offered. Instead, her husband dodged and moved out of reach.

“Don’t be too hard on him.” Khan’s voice made her jump. “It will take time for him to adjust and find his footing again.” He sat next to her on the bench, his eyes fixed on their sparring mates.

“Find his footing, that’s a polite way of putting it,” she said and smirked when Khan looked at her. “And are you proving a point that you can sneak up on me, even if I can sense you?”

Khan smiled. “It was not my intention to sneak up on you,” he said, but Nyoka could feel that he was pleased with her reaction.

“How was your stroll with the windbag witch?” 

Khan laughed and Nyoka was surprised at how much such a simple act transformed the man. “Quite informative, actually,” he said, and chuckled a bit more. He looked around them. “How did you all discover this place?”

“The Lord’s consort requested a private area to train. Who would dare deny the consort anything?”

Khan winced. “I should tell them to stop calling him that.”

Nyoka snorted. “Good luck with that. Besides,” she went on as she felt Khan’s uneasiness. “Consort is better than the alternative. I know you see him as an equal, but they never will. You are a living legend, he is just a Furyan. A Furyan that beds their Lord but still...oh, how I wish to hear what’s being said behind closed doors on this ship!” She felt mortification and annoyance as Khan scowled at her. Curious. How could a man that oozed confidence be so uptight about something so common as sex? Unless… “Oh...oh my. He was your first? How’s that even possible?”

Khan’s eyes visibly widened and he quickly looked away. “It’s not something I had an interest in before,” he muttered.

She was teetering between teasing or apologizing when a grunt interrupted her thoughts. They both looked ahead to see Vaako on his back and Riddick offering him a hand up. “Speaking of knowing what’s been said behind closed doors.” She said, as they watched the two men circle each other for another round. “How much do you know of their intentions once we reach their homeworld?”

“Aereon said that she sent them word of my return and it was well received. Elementals are ruled by a council of four elders.”

“Of course they would...sorry, go on.”

“I don’t think anyone there will mean us harm, but I doubt accomplishing anything will be easy. From everything Aereon said, they are a passive people, letting the world pass by while all they do is watch it do so.”

Her chest puffed a bit at how easily he said ‘us’, because she felt how it included her and Vaako as well. “The people seldom want what their leaders want. That’s why many of them fall. You need to know what the people want.” Khan knew what she was saying all too well and she felt a wave of sadness from him that she could not put her finger on. “There are ways to find out what people think,” she pressed on. “There are always those willing to spy on their own for the right price, favors, or even...love.” Her eyes fell on a now familiar sight. “Like your little shadow over there. It's so obvious that she would do anything to gain your favor. Here we have two impressive warriors beating on each other and yet she only has eyes for you.”

Khan turned his head to look at the young Elemental, standing by the door, and Nyoka tried not to smirk when the girl dropped her eyes and blushed.

“You should introduce us,” she told Khan, putting the meaning of her words in her tone.

“Floga is just a child,” Khan said, and Nyoka could feel his reluctance.

“She’s older than I was when I was converted. All children must grow at some point, sooner rather than later if they want to survive this verse. You use the tools you have.”

Khan sighed, hesitated, threw her a warning glance and waved Floga over.

***

Vaako was breathing hard and he felt sore all over, but it also felt good somehow. He felt more alive in that moment than he ever had in his entire life. At first his body didn’t know how to react to the sharp pain from Riddick’s blows, and the Furyan wasn’t taking it easy on him, but after a while, his body warmed up and the blows only spurred him on. He dodged a punch aimed at his face and caught Riddick on the ribs with one of his own. It was a solid blow but he got overconfident and forgot who he was fighting. His blow didn’t slow down the Furyan at all and Vaako found his legs swept from under him and Riddick stepping firmly on his chest.

“Point taken, fish-eyes,” he growled. Riddick took his foot off his chest and offered him his hand. “I think I’m done for the day, or my bruises will have bruises.”

Riddick chuckled. “Yeah, wouldn’t want that, now that you’re a delicate flower,” the Furyan said and easily pulled him on his feet. He sniffed the air between them. “You even smell like one.”

Vaako shook his head and laughed.

“Ah, so you can laugh,” Riddick said and smiled.

“I can laugh, my wife has feelings, her own and not her own, and I feel pain...lots of pain. I knew you’d be trouble the moment I laid eyes on you.”

“Speaking of your wife and trouble,” Riddick said, jerking his head in the direction Nyoka sat.

Vaako turned and saw that his wife had been joined by Khan and the young Elemental that always seemed to lurk around him. “What is she up to now?” he groaned, watching the way his wife spoke to the girl. Like a snake charming her prey before devouring it.

“I don’t know,” Riddick said, “but whatever it is, she has Khan on the fence about it.”

Vaako looked back at Riddick but the man didn’t seem angry or even annoyed. “She’s just looking for her place in this new world we found ourselves in.”

Riddick grinned. “I think she found her place, Vaako, and Khan seems to like her well enough. She might even be good for him.”

“I never thought I’d say this, but she seems to have a soft spot for him as well. She never once suggested I should try and take his place.” He grinned to show that he was jesting, even though his words were the truth and Riddick knew it. Nyoka’s ambition seemed to have turned into an unyielding loyalty.

“Come on,” Riddick said and headed for their audience. 

***

Once Vaako had gotten over his fear or feeling pain due to his reanimated nerve endings, which took a few smackdowns from Riddick for it to happen, he wasn’t a half-bad opponent. They had both worked up a sweat by the end, Riddick took off his shirt. “So, when I fought the Lord Marshal, he was possessed by this thing?”

They had left the arena shortly after he and Vaako were done training. Nyoka had seemed eager to get to know the young Elemental and Vaako had excused himself to go bathe and rest. Khan had filled him in on his chat with Aereon on their way to their rooms.

“That’s the theory,” Khan said. “What was assumed to be astral projecting, the non-corporeal image you saw before the Lord Marshal moved, was probably this being.”

“Then Vaako dodged a bullet there,” Riddick said, using his shirt to wipe some of the sweat off him. He tossed it in the basket next to the door and turned to look at Khan. The younger man was leaning against their dining table with his arms crossed over his chest. “He was planning to cross the Threshold when he dropped me off on L28. When we boarded his ship I asked him why he didn’t. Said he didn’t feel ready to.”

Khan tilted his head to the side. “Or sensed, on some unconscious level, what the Lord Marshal really was. What about you? Why didn’t you cross the Threshold?”

Riddick grinned. “I told a holy man once that I absolutely believe in God and I absolutely hate the fucker. I never had an interest in religion and that applied to the Necromonger one as well. It always seemed to me that if gods were real, the fuckers never cared for us, so worshiping them is pointless.”

“And you were never tempted to gain the Lord Marshal’s powers?”

Riddick chuckled. “Why would I? Powers or not, I was the one who ghosted him. What did his powers do for him? I rather live and die as who I am.” He still remembered his fight with that bastard, and what happened after, all too clearly. “Though I sometimes wonder what would have happened if she hadn’t stabbed him in the back. Would I have found my way out of it on my own? Or died there by his hands.”

“Kyra,” Khan said so softly that Riddick wasn’t sure if he heard it or imagined it.

Every muscle in his body went taut. “Where did you hear that name?” 

Khan shifted and Riddick could sense a stab of worry and fear from the younger man. “Nyoka told me. She also hinted that you loved her.”

Riddick sighed and relaxed his muscles. “I did, but not in the way you think.”

“She was family,” Khan said. “I’d like to know about her...some day.”

Riddick saw in Khan’s eyes someone that finally understood but he wasn’t ready to talk about Kyra just yet. “Some day,” he said. “So, if the Lord Marshal was not using soulpower but had some sort of parasite, how was he able to claim that man’s soul?”

Khan shrugged. “Might’ve been some kind of energy he extracted from the body. We consume food for energy, if that energy is taken away all at once…I haven’t seen or felt it so I can’t be sure, just theorize.”

Riddick nodded. “I’ve felt it, he tried taking mine. It felt like he reached somewhere deep inside me and was ripping out my very core.”

“What happened?” Khan asked and Riddick felt the younger man’s anger rising to the surface.

Riddick chuckled. “What you’re feeling now, that’s what happened. I got angry, very angry and it kept building up inside me, this burning hot anger and I got this burst of energy and I fought back.”

Khan frowned and pursed his lips. He was looking at Riddick, but not really. Riddick had triggered something in that beautiful mind and it set the gears in motion. “It is possible that the conversion is done so that every Necromonger is a potential host for these beings. If their natural state is non-corporeal then it stands to reason that they would be unable to handle what comes with a living body. By dulling the senses they make the host more comfortable for themselves. A fact they most likely learned by possessing Covu’s dead family.” Khan finally said. 

“Otherwise they might feel like Vaako felt when you healed him, except all the time?” Riddick said. “Is that why the one before Covu went on a killing spree?”

“Dead bodies have no energy,” Khan said and pushed off the table to start pacing. His mind was still working on something, he didn’t seem to have even heard Riddick’s questions. “When they forced that prophecy out of Aereon, the Lord Marshal did everything in his power to eliminate the Furyan’s. Was it just the prophecy or was there something more? Something the parasite inside him feared? Something the Lord Marshal couldn’t handle inside you...something they couldn’t erase inside Nyoka...She and Vaako were different but she was leaps and bounds different. Then there’s the Purifier.”

Khan turned and looked at him. “Furyan energy,” they both said as one.

“How do we use that against them though?” Riddick asked.

“I don’t know,” Khan said and suddenly looked tired. “I need to first convince the Elementals to help us find Furya.”

“Then one step at a time,” Riddick said. “Nyoka might be better equipped to help you with that. She’s been navigating the cutthroat politics of the Necromongers most of her life and from what Vaako said, she’s very eager for a place at your side.”

Khan nodded. “She’s already attempting to set a few things in motion for me,” he said and Riddick could feel how conflicted Khan was.

“I saw her talking to Floga,” Riddick ventured.

The look Khan gave him was guilt filled. “She means to use the girl’s infatuation with me to get her to spy for us.”

Riddick smiled. “Like I said, she’s used to cutthroat politics but we’re not among Necromongers now. If you don’t like her methods, suggest something else. I’m sure Floga would be willing to help you if you were straight with her.”

“So instead of manipulation I should ask her to betray her own people?”

“Her loyalty is obviously with you and they are your people, or did you miss the part where they asked you to stay and lead them? You gave up your family for them, you stayed to save them from the Necromongers, don’t allow them to sit with their thumbs up their ass now.”

“I don’t trust them, Riddick,” Khan said and began pacing again. “I see nothing of my family in these people. Where’s the flame? Where’s the Augment rage? They stood by and let the Furyans and Aquilans die and now that their turn is upon them they want someone to save them.” He stopped pacing, their eyes locked and Riddick saw what he meant about rage. “They knew this was coming and they did nothing.”

“The people don’t always want what their leaders want. Talk with Floga, see if you can find the rage you’re looking for there.”

Khan frowned. “Nyoka said something similar,” he said and Riddick felt his rage ebb. “I’ll see what Nyoka thinks of the girl and talk to her myself, she’s always lurking around anyway.”

“I got a better idea,” Riddick said and grinned. “Teach the girl how to fight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to LiteraryHedonism for beta-reading this chapter and working with me on the finer details, you rock! Please head over to their account and check out their stories. I highly recommend!
> 
> And as always thank you to all who have left me comments/kudos, your support means a lot!
> 
> Stay safe! <3


	4. Chapter 4

“Curl your fingers and roll them into your palm, like this.” Floga leaned in to look at his hand. “See how it wrinkles the skin of my palm and you can’t see the fingernails?”

“Yes,” she said and mimicked him. “Like this?”

“Correct. Now wrap your thumb on top, like this. Yes. This is how you should always make a fist. It locks the wrist and keeps your fingers and thumb from breaking.” He stepped away from the girl and turned to face her. “Let’s see your fighting stance.”

Khan could hear the girl's heart rate rising as she assumed a rather beginner fighting stance. Like someone who had seen it done once or twice and gave her best guess at it.

“I never fought before, my Lord,” she said and blushed, there was also a slight hint of fear in her voice.

“You won’t fight today either,” he said, trying to make his tone reassuring. “I’m only teaching you the basics. Keep your elbows closer to your body. No, don’t lower your fists. Keep your fists to the height of your cheekbones.” He assumed a fighting stance to show her. “I’m protecting both my face and torso.” He moved closer to make minor adjustments to her stance and her heart rate jumped again. Khan suppressed a sigh and moved away again. “Did you put your dominant leg and arm in the front?” She nodded. “Then switch, your dominant side should be in the back. Good, keep your back heel off the ground, your dominant leg should always be ready to move.” He watched her wobble for a second. “Your stance is too wide, find your balance. Good. Now, we’ll do some basic footwork...keep your arms like I showed you.”

They worked on moving around each other in the correct stance for a while and Khan was pleased to see that Floga was a fast learner. She was also eager and a bit impatient.

“When do I learn how to punch?” she asked after a while.

“When you have the footwork down. A punch begins with the legs.”

“I do have the footwork down,” she said, almost indignantly.

Khan grinned, this was the first time she showed any sign of a personality around him. “Do you?” He said and assumed a fighting stance. “Manage to tap me once using the footwork I showed you and I’ll teach you how to punch.”

She grinned back and that took Khan more by surprise than her sudden and clumsy lunge forward. He easily dodged her and tapped her shoulder with the back of his hand. She swung around surprised and stumbled a bit. “That was fast!” she exclaimed.

“Good footwork and some Augment speed. Again? Remember, back heel off the ground, move on the balls of your feet.” He felt a moment of pride when she also remembered to keep the correct arm positions without him reminding her. Trying to catch him was good practice for her footwork, he only needed to correct her a couple of times and he realized that he was actually having as much fun as she was. 

She was also increasingly getting focused on her task and even began to read some of his more obvious feints. She was faster than Khan thought she would be and he began to wonder what her strength would be like. He eventually laughed and allowed her to tap him, she was so surprised by this that she jumped back as if she had touched hot iron.

“I’m convinced,” he told her and smiled. “Time for lesson two.”

Floga’s smile could’ve put the sun to shame in its brilliance and Khan knew that her heart rate had nothing to do with her misplaced attraction to him, this time. She had found something she truly loved. “I’m ready,” she said and assumed the stance.

Khan stood next to her and assumed the stance as well. “Now, when you strike, all the power comes from your legs. Think of it as a chain reaction,” he said and patted each area of his body as he named it. “It's your legs, then your hips and core, then your shoulder and finally your arm. First move is the jab, you stomp your front foot a bit and use that momentum to jab with your foremost arm.” He demonstrated the move for her a couple of times. “This is your weaker arm so it’ll be your weaker strike, it might do some damage, preferably break a nose, but mostly it serves to distract your opponent for your power punch. Remember that heel that never touches the floor? You twist on the ball of that foot, then your hips and core follow that momentum...your hips twist and tighten your core, then it moves to your shoulders, same twist and tighten, and then your arm. You drive your punch in with your elbow and at the same time twist the fist so you strike with the two big knuckles of your fist.” He demonstrated the cross strike for her a couple of times then a combination of the two together. “Now try it, slowly. Get the feel of it. Repeat the movements in your head like a mantra. Stomp, jab, leg, hips, shoulders until it's all one move. Keep your arms up and your elbows in. Good, keep going.”

He watched her try the moves a few times, her lips moving as she mouthed the mantra and focused on each part of it. She was learning much faster than he had expected and soon enough she was picking up speed. He raised an eyebrow when she threw a few perfect punches in a row at a rather good speed. Khan moved in front of her and she stopped. He held a hand up, palm out and grinned at her.

“My Lord?”

“Let's see what you got,” Khan said and after a moment of hesitation she nodded and threw a timid punch to his palm. “Come on, you can do better than that. Put as much speed and strength into it as you can and exhale sharply when you punch, inhale when you pull back, don’t hold your breath.”

She took a deep breath, looked at him, and punched his hand again with a jab and a power punch this time. Khan made an unimpressed face, Floga scowled and punched again without any further prompting.

“I almost felt it that time,” Khan mocked and moved when she tried to punch again. “Where’s your footwork? I thought you had it all figured out.”

He kept things slow for her but he was impressed nonetheless. She was like a dog with a bone and despite her determination to land a strike on him she never let it distract her from keeping the correct form. As a reward, he would allow her to land a few punches.

“She’s a natural and a little spitfire, isn’t she?”

Riddick’s voice made her lose all focus. Khan swept her legs from under her when she turned to the sound of the voice.

“Never take your eyes off your opponent,” he told her when she looked up at him in shock.

***

Khan was striking snake fast and Vaako winced in sympathy when the girl landed hard on her ass. He wasn’t really the sympathizing type but he recently rediscovered what sort of pain a fall like that brought.

“Never take your eyes off your opponent,” Khan told her and held his hand out to the girl. 

Despite her humiliation, the girl’s eyes were full of adoration when she looked up at him and accepted his hand. “What if he was an opponent too?” she asked, jerking her head in Riddick’s direction.

Khan grinned and looked at Riddick. “How about it, big guy? Vaako?”

“You want to fight both of us?” Vaako asked, a bit surprised. He was very curious to see what Khan was really made of but he didn’t want to get on his bad side either.

“No,” Khan said. “I want to teach her proper footwork, we won't be fighting.” He grinned. “But do try to hit me...if you can.”

Riddick laughed and slapped Vaako’s back hard as he stepped into the gym’s open area. “If you do manage to hit him though, I’m not saving you.”

“Take a seat on the bench, Floga,” Khan told the girl and turned to face Riddick with a smile. “Now,” Khan began and assumed a fighting stance that appeared rather unusual to Vaako. “Never take your eyes off your opponent's eyes, that’s where you read what move they’ll make. Vaako step in whenever you’re ready.”

“Ready?” Riddick asked.

“Do your best, big guy,” Khan teased.

Riddick lunged forward with the inhuman speed Vaako was used to seeing from the Furyan, what Vaako didn’t expect was how fast and easily Khan dodged him, went behind him, and smacked his ass before Riddick could recover and turn around.

“Is that how it’s going to be then?” Riddick said with a big grin on his face.

Khan grinned back. “We’re not in a shuttle now.”

Riddick lunged again, Khan dodged, only this time when Khan swung behind him Riddick was expecting it. He made a grab for the smaller man but Khan once again danced out of reach with ease.

“You should try to avoid letting your opponent-” He dodged another attack from Riddick. “Get a grip on you. Keep them at a distance.” Khan laughed as he dodged again. “Especially when he’s bigger than you.” He winked at Riddick.

Riddick laughed and shook his head. “I see what you mean about this not being the shuttle. Get your ass in here Vaako, we got a slippery one.”

Vaako soon realized what Riddick meant. While they tried their damndest to surround Khan, the Augment was moving too fast and always kept both of them in sight. The few times they thought they had him it somehow ended with him behind them, tapping them on the shoulders or backs. Khan’s speed and reflexes were beyond those of anyone Vaako had ever met, except perhaps for Lord Marshal Zhylaw.

“I think that’s enough,” Khan finally said.

“Really?” Vaako wheezed, hands on his knees. “I was starting to enjoy the humiliation.”

Khan’s smile was both playful and smug. He was a man that knew what he could do and was thoroughly confident of it. He turned to Floga. “See how good footwork works?”

“Yes, my Lord,” the girl squeaked, her eyes saucer wide and sounding just as breathless as Vaako felt. 

“In an actual fight, you never try to take on more than one opponent. Keep them in your sight, keep them at a distance whenever possible and take them out one at a time. In this case, I’d try and take out Riddick first as he poses the greatest danger to me.”

“Yeah,” Vaako mumbled. “If you ever stopped moving.”

“Next time you’re training too, Vaako,” Khan said, looking at him with amusement. “Necromongers seem to rely too much on their gravity guns and your footwork is horrid.”

Riddick laughed. “You should see them move in that armor they wear. You’d be dancing circles around them all day. Wait...you already did.”

“Few occasions to fight hand in hand anymore,” Vaako countered.

“Tell that to all the Necros we took out while carrying your unconscious ass around,” Riddick shot back.

Khan laughed and approached Floga. He crouched in front of the girl and looked her in the eyes. “Most importantly, never go into a fight with fear and doubt. Go into it to win, be aggressive. The best defense is a good offense.” 

“Yes, my Lord,” she breathed, nodding vigorously. “Will you teach me more?”

“If the circumstances on Quintessa allow it,” Khan purred.

The girl perked up. “You could request I remain in your service! I promise I’ll serve you well, my Lord!”

Khan smiled. “I’ll take your word for it. Now, go rest, but first tell Aereon I wish to be on the bridge when we reach Quintessa.”

“Yes, my Lord,” Floga said and practically raced out of the gym to do as told.

Vaako approached Khan and looked the Augment over with new eyes. “You’re as devious as my wife, my Lord.”

***

Riddick glanced over at Khan as they made their way to their room. “So, Nyoka seems to approve of Floga, what did you think of the little flame? I saw that proud look in your eyes and I know that wasn’t pretending.”

Khan threw him a curious look. “Do you speak Greek?”

“What’s Greek?” Riddick asked, confused at the abrupt change in subject.

“A Terran language. You keep calling her things like spitfire and flame, the word floga in Greek means flame.”

“Didn’t know that. Do you speak this Greek?”

“I speak twelve languages. Floga has potential and I believe some Augment abilities. She seems stronger and faster than the average human and I’m certain her hearing is almost as good as mine. She’s holding back though. Might be fear or some silly notion that she might offend me in some way.”

“But you found some of that Augment flame you’ve been looking for, pun intended,” Riddick said and grinned.

“Yes, one tiny flame. The question is, can I feed it up to an inferno? Because that’s what it's gonna take to win this war.”

“If there’s one then there’s more. Use that charm of yours, win them to your cause.”

“My charm?” Khan said with an amused smile.

“Mmhmm, you have everyone on this ship swooning over you, and that includes two former Necromongers. You didn’t notice how our breakfast mingling keeps growing in numbers?”

“What they are swooning over is childhood stories about a legend of the past.”

“A legend that so far you have only proven true. Escaping Necropolis, magic blood, and I’m sure everyone already heard about how you took on the Furyan and the former Lord Marshal and won.”

“I wouldn’t call it taking on or winning.”

Riddick huffed a laugh. “Beastie, after today I’m not sure if I can take you on if you have space to move. Unless I can corner you in a shuttle again. Even then you didn’t make it easy. I still have no idea how you managed to throw me off you and dislocated my elbow.”

He saw Khan wince and felt his guild at the memory of that day. “It’s just a martial arts technique. I never had cause to use it before you, you’re the first person I’ve met that can match me in strength. Even the things I taught Floga today I have no real use for.”

Riddick hated that Khan still held that guilt inside. It was in the past, it happened, he didn’t hold it against the Beastie so why should he hold it against himself? He grabbed the younger man by the elbow, swung him around and pushed him up against the wall. He felt Khan’s surprise through the Bond at this sudden show of aggressiveness but the younger man offered no resistance, he trusted Riddick completely and Riddick found that incredibly sexy. 

“I’d like to learn some of those moves,” he said gruffly and pressed his body against Khan's. “It’s only fair. After all...” he bent his head to Khan’s neck and inhaled deeply through his nose. “I taught you some of my moves.” He bit down on the soft flesh, eliciting a gasp from the younger man. Riddick took that as encouragement and let his hands roam the younger man’s body. One hand moved down to cup and squeeze a firm asscheek, the other went up the younger man’s shirt to caress the smooth skin of his waist.

“Our room is only a few meter’s away,” Khan breathed as Riddick’s lips and tongue worked their way up his neck.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Riddick growled playfully, feeling the younger man’s pulse rise at his response, though it was not the only thing beginning to rise. He pulled back slightly to look at him and grinned at how flushed Khan’s cheeks were. He kissed him hard and grinded against him just as those lips began to part for another protest. He was about to lift Khan off his feet and dry hump him right there and then against the wall when a feminine chuckle caused them both to freeze.

“Whooh! No wonder I felt a heatwave in this area.” 

Nyoka’s voice was like a bucket of ice water and Riddick felt Khan instantly shut down. He stepped back and turned his head to glare at the woman through his goggles. “Ever heard of discretion?”

She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Ever heard of a room? Not that I mind the show,” she shot back and openly leered at them.

Khan cleared his throat and rearranged his clothes. “Something we can do for you?” he said and seemed to instantly regret his choice of words as Nyoka’s grin grew.

“Be glad it was me,” she said with an expression that made it obvious she was showing them mercy. “I intercepted Floga on her way to you and I thought it would be better if I was the one to interrupt this little scene. It seems that we’re close to the Elemental planet and you requested to be informed?”

“How close?” Khan asked, his mortification momentarily forgotten at the prospect of seeing Quintessa for the first time.

Nyoka shrugged. “Apparently close enough to _marvel_ at its beauty but still a few hours before we reach it.”

“Time enough for a shower and a change of clothes then,” Riddick said, his own interests far removed from planetary sightseeing.

Nyoka grinned. “Shower, mhm, right.” She winked and turned her back. “Enjoy your...shower,” she called over her shoulder as she glided away.

Riddick looked at Khan and tilted his head, he couldn’t stop himself from grinning. “You really are cute when you blush, Beastie”

“I should kill you for that,” Khan said.

Riddick laughed. “Kill me after the...shower.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and continued laughing as he resumed walking down the hall to their room.

***

“Pretty,” Riddick commented.

Khan crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the image of the planet on the viewscreen. Quintessa looked like a large blue and green marble with white swirls. One of its moons seemed to be made entirely of ice while the other had a reddish tint to it. “Nostalgic,” he answered. “It almost looks like Earth...except for the two moons and larger landmasses.”

“You can’t tell from this distance, my Lord,” Aereon added, “but Quintessa is also twice the size of Earth and nearly three times the size of Surendus, the planet they gave to the Augments to colonize.”

“Population?” Khan asked.

“Around five billion.” 

Khan turned to look at her. “Twice the size but that’s less people than there were on Earth during my time.”

She nodded. “Most Elementals only bear one child. Some can have two but it’s very rare. Our children are very precious to us.”

“That’s true of most parents,” Khan said. “Whether they have one or five.” He knew what she was saying and why she said it. Too precious to risk. More excuses to avoid conflict. He looked over at Floga who stood quietly off to the side watching him. The girl blushed slightly and offered him a timid smile before looking away and at the planet. Unfortunately, it was always the case that the young were the ones that had to fight for the future while their elders settled for whatever fate handed them.

A young man approached them, bowed at Khan and turned to Aereon. “Lady Aereon, we’re in range for visual contact.”

“Thank you,” Aereon said and the man walked back to his station. She looked at Khan and smiled. “The Council will be contacting us soon, they will wish to speak with you, if you feel up to it.”

“Of course,” Khan answered, keeping his voice neutral. “I take it you’ve been giving them reports on your mission to find me?”

“Yes,” Aereon said and hesitated. “Though I have not given them much on details, my Lord. Everyone is eager to meet you but...a few may fear what your presence here might bring.”

Khan snorted. “I thought the stories you’ve been telling of me for centuries now would be clear on what I represent.”

“Yes, you were a great warrior but you, unlike the other Augment rulers, had the most peaceful Empire.”

“Which I created through war. There’s an old phrase on Earth, Aereon, to make an omelette you have to crack a few eggs.”

“First we need to acquire the eggs, my Lord,” Aereon said calmly.

Khan grinned. “Then I shall convince the chickens to allow me access to the coop. Call your Council, Aereon.”

Aereon nodded and turned to the young man from before. “Have we made contact with the Council yet?”

“Yes, Lady Aereon. They are ready.”

“Open a channel.”

The screen showing the planet flickered and switched to show them four elderly people sitting in a row behind a large conference-like table. Two of them were women, the other two men.

“Welcome back, Aereon,” One of the women said with a genuine smile as soon as the image cleared up. Khan couldn’t help but notice the similarities the woman had with Floga. Same coloring, same eyes and nose.

“It is good to be back, Lasair, thankfully our journey has been less adventurous than we anticipated and our goal has been achieved.” She turned towards Khan and he took that as his cue to step up next to her. All four elders fixed their eyes on him with mixed expressions of awe and trepidation. “Esteemed members of the Council, allow me to present to you Lord Khan Noonien Singh who has finally returned home to us.”

Khan inclined his head politely at the four elders. “Council members.”

The first to recover was the eldest of the four. She was a small woman, stooped over by her advanced years but the lines on her face spoke of someone who smiled a lot during her long life. She leaned forward to squint at Khan and as she did so it became obvious that she was like Aereon, an Air Elemental. “Lord Khan Noonien Singh,” she said in a shaky but still strong voice. “I was beginning to think I would never have the honor of meeting you, My Lord. I am Udara and I represent the Air Elementals.”

“The honor is mine, Lady Udara,” Khan said with a smile. He took an instant liking to the old woman. “I hope we will meet in person as well.”

The older woman leaned back with a pleased smile and looked at the younger woman sitting to her right. She not so discreetly cleared her throat causing the other woman to blink.

“I am Lasair my Lord, I represent the Fire Elementals, it is an honor to meet you.”

“Lady Lasair,” Khan said, inclining his head at her respectfully. He had a feeling she was one he could consider an ally, which left the other two. He turned his gaze to the middle man next to Udara, he seemed to be the youngest of the four, perhaps late fifties.

The man gave a nod and smiled. “I am N'garu, my Lord, of the Water Elementals.”

The last man must’ve been an impressive man in his prime. He was at least a head taller than the others, back straight, and a hard look in his eyes. “Beinn of the Earth Elementals, welcome, Lord Khan.”

Khan inclined his head to the two men with an amused smile playing on his lips. He didn’t miss N’garu’s attempt at neutrality or Beinn’s casual use of his name paired with open mistrust.

Udara eyed the two men next to her before looking back at Khan. “My Lord, some of the Council members are concerned about what your intentions will be, once you reach Quintessa.”

Khan raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. “My intentions, Lady Udara?” he said and glanced at Aereon before turning his attention back to the council. “My intentions were to return to my family and ensure their freedom and wellbeing.” He paused and locked eyes with the older woman. “However, I was convinced by your representative, Lady Aereon, that the future of my family...you, have a greater need of me. Was I misled? Am I no longer welcome among my people?”

A heavy silence fell following his words, even the helmsman’s hands stilled over the controls as they all waited for the Council to respond. 

N’garu steepled his hands and smiled. “Of course you are welcome, My Lord, that was never in question.”

Beinn leaned forward. “Is it true that you have provoked the Necromongers?”

There was a bark of laughter behind Khan, followed by Riddick’s deep, mocking voice. “Provoked them? Since when do those bastards need provoking?”

“Council,” Aereon said. “You’ve never met him in person, but I’m sure you remember Richard B. Riddick.”

Khan saw surprise written all over their faces and body language. It seemed Riddick was one of the details Aereon failed to mention in her reports.

“Of course,” Lasair said, throwing an almost accusatory glance at Aereon. “The Furyan who slowed down the spread of the Necromongers.”

“I was also their Lord Marshal for five years,” Riddick growled. “And let me tell you, those bastards were itching to go back to their holy crusade of eliminating every human life in the universe. They attempted to assassinate me numerous times because I wouldn’t play along. Provoked them? You sent Aereon to recruit me to save your asses back then because they were coming for you next. Guess what? They are coming again and this time, their new Lord Marshal, is the most fanatical yet!”

Khan remained silent, allowing Riddick’s words to sink in. The Council also stared at Riddick in silence. Doubt was slowly replaced by fear and their eyes finally returned to him. Khan pulled his shoulders back, widened his stance, held his hands behind his back and looked up at the screen with a steady gaze. “I’m not here to start a war,” he said, keeping his voice even. “I’m here to end one. They are coming for you, just like they came for your siblings...the Furyans and Aquilans. It’s true, I have crossed paths with them once already and I am confident I can find a way to defeat them. However, I will not force anyone to fight. If you do not wish to get involved in this war then I will move on and seek those who do...and you can perish with the comforting knowledge that you remained neutral.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to LiteraryHedonism for beta-reading this chapter and working with me on the finer details, you rock! Please head over to their account and check out their stories. I highly recommend!
> 
> And as always thank you to all who have left me comments/kudos, your support means a lot!
> 
> Stay safe!


	5. Chapter 5

Riddick chuckled as they packed the few possessions they had into a couple of containers Aereon had provided them with. 

“What’s so amusing?” Khan asked, looking up from his own packing.

“Their faces,” Riddick replied. “They wouldn’t have been more surprised if you had reached through the screen and punched them in the face.”

Khan smiled. “You did give me the perfect opening,” he said, carelessly dropping the neatly folded garments he had been holding and walking over to him. “We make a good team.” He wrapped his arms around Riddick’s neck and kissed him.

Riddick sensed that it was meant to be a brief kiss. He wrapped an arm around the younger man’s back and grabbed his ass with the other, lifting him to his tiptoes and trapping him for a more lingering kiss. Khan didn’t resist but the door chime protested. “I hate that thing,” Riddick growled, as he gently let Khan down on the floor.

It was Khan’s turn to chuckle. “If not for these interruptions you’d have me in bed all day,” he teased and headed for the door.

“Not just the bed,” Riddick said, turning. “There’s also the couch, the table.” He stalked after him and leaned in close, whispering in his ear just as Khan opened the door, “against the wall.” Khan gave him a sidelong glance that made Riddick grin. 

"Aereon," Khan said, turning back to the door. "Please, come in."

The older woman glanced between them knowingly before stepping inside, followed by Floga and three other Elementals. "My Lord, I took the initiative to have these made for you." She waved at one of the Elementals, a woman in her mid twenties, who stepped forward to present Khan with a bundle of clothes.

Khan reached out and carefully picked up the top layer. It unfolded to a long black, coat, with extravagant, silver thread embroidery all along the collar and down the front. The sleeves too had the same treatment around the wrists. The other two Elementals stepped forward. One of them took the coat from Khan and placed it back on the bundle. She then proceeded to lift Khan's shirt while the second woman kneeled to unlace his boots.

Riddick watched, a bit confused, as Khan didn't protest and instead seemed to relax into this unusual treatment. He lifted his arms to allow for his shirt to be pulled off and then each leg so his boots could be pulled off as well. Riddick expected some of Khan’s shiness to return when the kneeling woman began unlacing his bottoms as well, but instead, he calmly stepped out of them as they were pulled down to his ankles. Once he was down to his underwear the Elementals sprang to action to get him dressed in the new garments. Which he also patiently and stoically allowed to happen. 

They began with a dark grey and black patterned shirt with tiny silver buttons, which they tugged into form fitting black breeches. Riddick raised an eyebrow when they completed that set with a tight, corset-like belt. Knee-high military boots, with adjustable buckles followed and at last the coat completed the look. The two women stepped back and finally the third Elemental stepped in, applied some kind of oil on her hands and ran them through Khan’s hair, quickly and effectively taming his unruly fringe.She too stepped back then and they all looked over their work and then to Aereon. The older woman nodded and the three Elementals filed out of the room in an orderly manner. 

Riddick circled around Khan and stood next to Aereon. “I don’t know what the hell just happened, but you look good, Beastie,” he said, thinking that Khan now looked more like some mythical figure than the man he had woken from cryosleep. Khan met his eyes but Riddick could read nothing there, the Bond though hummed with an uneasy feeling.

“These are for you, Lord Riddick,” Floga said, stepping up next to him and offering him another bundle of clothes. 

Riddick frowned down at the girl and then looked at Khan. The younger man remained silent, giving him no guidance, though Riddick could sense that he wanted him to accept them.

“There are certain expectations,” Aereon said and though that was all she said her meaning was clear.

Riddick took the clothes and unfolded them. He was relieved to see they were just versions of his usual, practical clothes, only of a much, much better quality. There was even a belt that was obviously meant to hold his weapons with a setup that would have them on display for all to see.

Khan gave him a slight nod and turned his attention to Aereon. “Vaako and Nyoka,” he said, his first words since this charade began. “I want them at my side as well.”

“I thought you might, my Lord,” Aereon said. “Arrangements have been made for them as well.”

Khan nodded. “Thank you. Come get us when it's time, I need a moment alone with Riddick.”

“As you wish, my Lord,” Aereon said bowing and she and Floga left the room.

Riddick waited for Khan to say something when they were alone again but the younger man simply stared at the door, his expression thoughtful. It sometimes worried Riddcik how different Khan could be around him and around others. There were times that he felt like he didn’t know the man before him at all. "What was that all about?" he asked when the silence stretched on.

Khan looked at him as if he had forgotten he was there. "The posturing and peacocking is about to begin." He held out his arms. "Dressed to impress," he said, with a slight bitterness in his voice.

"If you don't like it why did you allow it?"

Khan sighed. "Because leading is never about what you like or don't like."

Riddick considered that. “What’s the point of ruling if you can’t do what you damn please?” Though Riddick had to admit that he wasn’t the best example of a ruler. He had always done as he pleased and had Necromonger assassins on his ass every other week as a result of that. Still, should someone change themselves to please others? And how far should it be allowed to go? What would be the point if you lost yourself?

Khan’s grin disappeared, probably because he had sensed Riddick’s feelings through the Bond. “Ruling and leading are two very different things. I have no desire to rule. I want to avoid the mistakes of the past, if possible.” He brushed imaginary dust off his new coat and looked at Riddick, that uneasy feeling Riddick couldn’t put his finger on coming through the Bond once again. “Are you with me, Riddick?”

Riddick knew that Khan wasn’t asking that question lightheartedly. It was multi-layered to say the least. Will you do it my way? Will you follow my lead? Will you stay at my side no matter what? The answer still came easily to him. “I’m always with you, Beastie.”

***

Nyoka barely recognized herself when she looked in the mirror. She definitely did not look like a Necromonger anymore. She inspected her attire with a critical eye. The long white dress would have been plain if not for the leather, red and gold, embroidered corset that squeezed her middle and made her breasts stand out at the deep neckline of the dress. Her forearms too were wrapped in soft reddish leather with thinner bands at the tops of her arms but her hair was the biggest difference. They had let it down, streaming over her shoulders and then styled it with small braids, interwoven with beads, strips of leather and small metallic tubes. A thick, leather choker, strewn with various gemstones completed her new look. She looked like something between a princess and a warrior. She even had a small ornate dagger strapped to her waist.

“I look fierce,” she said, turning to the side and back again. “I like it.”

“You look Furyan,” the woman helping her get dressed commented. “Or at least as close as we can get, with what we know.”

Nyoka pursed her lips. “The one I saw in my vision was dressed completely in leathers,” she said. “The hair however is spot on.”

The Elemental woman bent to fluff her dress. “We needed something a bit more formal for this occasion.”

Nyoka adjusted her breasts so they rode just a bit higher. “And how big will this occasion be?”

“Hard to say,” the woman replied. “We never had Khan Noonien Singh visit us before.”

Vaako walked up behind her and she smiled at him through the mirror. They had dressed him in a knee-length, deep green, sleeveless tunic that really brought out his eyes and showed off his muscular arms. There was some strange scripture, in gold, going down over the left side of his chest which they told them said ‘we come to serve’ in an ancient language. A common greeting between Elementals and Aquilans whenever they happened to meet. Beneath that he wore plain black pants and military-style black boots.

“You look ravishing,” he told her and smiled back at her.

She turned and glided towards him. “I’ll be the one doing the ravishing,” she replied as she adjusted his tunic. “But alas we must play the part of civilized guests today.”

The Elemental pointedly cleared her throat. “And we must be on our way. We shouldn’t keep the Lord waiting. We will be landing in less than thirty minutes.”

She wrapped her arm around her husband’s. “I do hope he’ll spank us if we do,” she teased just to watch the other woman squirm a bit. “Lead the way.” Just as Nyoka expected the Elemental woman tried to keep some distance from them as she led them down the corridor at a brisk pace. “Aereon is a cunning woman,” she whispered to Vaako.

“In what way?” Vaako asked, as usual, oblivious to politics.

“Well, look at us. I look like a Furyan and I’m guessing you look like an Aquilan. Seems to me like we are symbols for an alliance that doesn’t yet exist, dear husband. Aereon is parading us as representatives of these two races.”

“But we know next to nothing about how to be of these two races,” he whispered back.

“I don’t think it matters,” she said. “We only have to look the part.” 

They followed the woman to Khan’s rooms, where at least ten guards waited outside along with Aereon and young Floga. The door opened just as they were about to reach it and Khan stepped out with Riddick at his side. Nyoka’s eyebrow raised appreciatively at the sight of them.

“It seems we’ve been outshined,” Vaako commented.

He was not wrong, they went all out with Khan’s appearance, all the man was missing to make it official was a crown on his head. “Indeed.” She smiled at Khan when their eyes met and she felt a jolt of surprise from him. “My Lord,” she said at the same time as Vaako and she curtsied while her husband bowed.

“You look a bit like Shirah,” Riddick rumbled.

Nyoka could tell that Khan was thinking the same, though he was more restrained than Riddick to say so. “I believe that was the intention, to make me look like a Furyan.” She gave a meaningful glance at Aereon.

“You look stunning, Lady Nyoka,” Khan said and looked at Vaako. “Is that Vulcan calligraphy?”

Aereon stepped closer. “Yes, one of the ancestral languages both Elementals and Aquilans share. Can you read it, my Lord?”

Khan’s composure cracked for just a second but Nyoka didn’t need to watch his face to know that he had been taken aback by this information. She wasn’t sure if the annoyance she felt was hers or something she sensed from Khan but she determined then that she would dig deep into their past so these little revelations didn’t keep coming up like this. It seemed none of the others realized how much they affected Khan. To the Elementals it was common knowledge, but to them it was new territory. She needed to prepare so she could help Khan when he needed it. Like him, she didn’t plan to be just a symbol the Elementals would use in their political games.

“No,” Khan answered. “I’ve only seen it once before.”

The ship around them gave the slightest of a tremor followed by a low humming noise.

“We’re entering Quintessa’s atmosphere,” Aereon said.

***

The ship had landed on a platform in the middle of a city. Blindingly white skyscrapers reached for the sky and at their base lay a maze of gardens, artificial rivers, and fountains. Add to that a sea of people, in a rainbow of colors, who had gathered to witness their arrival and the whole scene seemed like something out of a drug-induced dream.

"I did not expect this," Vaako said.

“I don’t think anyone did,” Nyoka said. “Look at how uncomfortable they seem. I’d bet anything that the news of Khan’s arrival got out of their control.”

Riddick only grunted a reply, not taking his eyes off Khan. The younger man had motioned for them to wait while he and Aereon walked a few meters ahead of them to speak with the four Elemental Elders. Riddick couldn't hear what they were saying over the shouts of the crowd below them but he didn’t sense anything alarming from the Bond. Khan was quite calm and seemed to be in his element even.

A small, drone-like machine flew over their heads and circled over Khan. Riddick’s hand instinctively went for his dagger. He hesitated as large screens flickered to life on the sides of buildings all around them and Khan's face was suddenly everywhere. The enlarged images made his eyes look even more intense than usual as he looked into the drone’s lens. The crowd's voices rose and synchronized into a single word. Khan.

As if drawn by the chant, Khan detached himself from the Elders and walked to the edge of the platform. He looked at the crowd below for a moment and then slowly raised his hand. The drone moved back and the screens now showed a full image of Khan looking down from the screens and waving at the crowd. The chant erupted into cheers and a faint smile appeared on Khan’s lips.

“He certainly knows how to work a crowd,” Nyoka said.

Khan turned and held his hand out to them and the image on the screens changed once again to include them in the frame. Riddick glanced at the Elemental Elders. They wore expressions of curiosity mixed with worry. It seemed like Nyoka was right, they hadn’t expected this turn of events and they were even less happy that Khan stole the show.

“Oh yes,” Nyoka said and nudged him discreetly in the back. “Khan knows how to play this game, probably better than them. Go.” She nudged him again, harder.

Riddick moved, Nyoka and Vaako following close behind him. He reached out, taking Khan’s offered hand in his own and the younger man gently pulled him in next to him. When their hands touched a feeling of exhilaration and anticipation flowed through the Bond and into Riddick. 

There was a collective gasp from the crowd followed by murmurs of confusion and awe. Riddick was sure he could hear his name through the hum of voices. Khan squeezed his hand and smiled at him, his eyes were full of pride and love that reverberated tenfold through the Bond. On impulse, Riddick brought the younger man’s hand to his lips and kissed it. The cheers which followed were nearly deafening. Through the screens, Riddick saw Nyoka come to stand on Khan’s other side. She placed a hand lightly on Khan’s shoulder, her head held high, her posture almost arrogant, Vaako a stern figure at her side. The crowd below fell into a stunned silence, then Nyoka beamed a smile and raised her hand in greeting. 

Riddick could now hear individuals crying out “Furyans!” and “Aquilans!” a cacophony of murmurs and cheers followed those voices but out of the chaos a new chant slowly arose and thundered against them like waves on a rocky shore.

“We come to serve! We come to serve!”

***

The hovercraft made a pleasant humming sound as it weaved its way among the buildings and gardens of the Elemental world. Khan had chosen to sit next to the window to take it all in. Riddick sat next to him, quietly talking with Vaako, and Nyoka sat across from them with Aereon. Khan had thought 23rd century Earth had been impressive but it now paled in comparison. Quintessa was the perfect blend of technology and nature, the balance between the two perfect.

“I think that went quite well,” Aereon said and smiled when Khan turned his attention from the view passing by his window to her.

They had left the crowd behind a while ago, and though some had attempted to follow to get a closer look at him, the hovercraft had proven too fast for them. “You mean it went as you planned it would go,” Khan replied.

Aereon’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Word of your arrival might have leaked into the general population.”

“Wonder how that happened,” Riddick muttered.

Khan looked back out the window. He had felt Riddick’s uneasiness during the whole affair, especially when the crowd had recognized him as well, but Khan had been proud of how the big guy had handled it, despite that. It was, however, probably the first time Riddick had realized the scale of things to come. It worried Khan that this might prove too much for a self-declared loner like Riddick. He felt strong fingers wrap around his hand and looked over a bit surprised.

“Will you stop worrying?” Riddick scolded him in a low voice. “You’re making Nyoka nervous.”

“Speak for yourself, baldy,” Nyoka protested.

They laughed and Khan felt some of the tension leaving him. He smiled gratefully at them and it dawned on him that he might have found a family after all. It might be just the people inside this hovercraft, for now, but he almost felt content. “What’s next, Aereon?” he asked the older woman.

“A banquet at the Elements Palace, where you’ll also be residing for the duration of your stay with us. There will be a lot of important people there, eager to gain your favor. You were a legend until today, something barely real, but now that they’ve seen the people's reaction to you...well, one doesn’t need to calculate the odds of what will happen if they oppose you.”

Khan frowned. “I’m not here to be a conqueror, Aereon.” He was tired of playing the bad guy. 

“A conqueror? No. A leader the people will want to follow? Yes. For many years the people have been living in fear of imminent invasion from the Necromongers with their leaders deaf to their worries. It is a lie that all Elementals can predict the future. Yes, we all calculate the odds but most do so on a small scale, very few can calculate the balance of the universe and even less have ventured outside our planet to witness what’s out there. The Elders have relied too much on their Everstean computers to calculate and maintain that balance, but computers cannot factor in the unpredictability of humans. The voices of those who have raised these concerns have been ignored by the Elders but the people listen more than the Elders think. They’ve been holding their breath for the day of your arrival, for the day of change.”

“How can the Elders be so willfully ignorant of the threat? Because their computers told them so?” Nyoka scoffed.

“Indeed. They never failed them before so they don’t believe the threat will ever reach us. They think someone else out there will stop the Necromongers. Unfortunately, when Riddick slowed them down and then Vaako took a less aggressive stance than the previous Lord Marshal, they became more confident in their false safety.”

“While we…” Vaako began and then caught himself. “While Necromogers grow stronger with each world they convert and destroy. They add to their numbers and reduce the opposition at the same time.”

Aereon nodded. “Eventually there will be too few left to fight them, even if they finally band together. Fortunately, in recent years, we were able to place two Elders in the council that share our concerns. With you now here, we should be able to finally act.”

“But even if the Necromongers never reach you, your numbers are dwindling,” Khan said, watching Aereon carefully. “Your birth rates are too low. Your numbers must be dropping with each generation.”

“A relatively recent problem but very troubling,” Aereon agreed. “And another reason that some might resist you. Our scientists are working on it but so far there has been no breakthroughs to speak of and a war would severely reduce the chances of finding a solution, assuming we survive at all.”

Khan stared at her for a moment. “I can help you,” he said and his eyes drifted to Nyoka and down to her abdomen, where he could hear the faintest of a flutter there. He looked back at Aereon and saw the Elemental’s eyes widen. He grinned. “And I know my way around a lab.”

Nyoka shifted nervously in her seat and glanced between them. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it again as the hovercraft started to descend. The door opened and they stepped outside into a large fenced courtyard. A cobblestone path, framed by trees and flowerbeds, led away from the small hovercraft landing pad to an enormous palace. It’s white walls sparkled in the sunlight as if studded with diamonds and its five towers dominated the skyline. The gardens around the palace were alive with the sounds of songbirds and bubbling water from its various water fountains.

“It’s...beautiful,” Nyoka breathed, stating what everyone probably thought.

“The Elements Palace,” Aereon said. “Each tower represents one of the elements.”

Khan looked at the towers. One in each corner of the palace and one more, the tallest, in the middle. “Correct me if I’m wrong, Aereon, but I only met four representatives of the elements. What is the fifth element?” he asked.

“The quintessence or aether element. The Groundless Ground, pure Existence itself. Existence devoid of any content.” She looked at him and smiled. “You could say it's the only thing we take on faith.”

“So you do have a god,” Nyoka said smugly.

Aereon chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

They walked down the path, arriving at a large stone arch. Khan’s attention had been drawn by the trees on the other side, the ones Aereon had called Suzette’s Kiss, when Riddick grabbed his arm and brought him to a halt just as they cleared the arch. He quickly glanced around for any threats and when he saw none looked at Riddick questioningly. The big guy had his head tilted back staring at something ahead of them. Khan followed the man’s gaze. At the center of a large fountain stood three statues, about three times the size of a human, bearing three familiar faces. One of them his own.

Khan walked out of Riddick’s grip and approached the fountain. The statues depicted him in the back and middle, with his arms held out as if gently pushing Joaquin and Suzette forward. His head was held high, his gaze focused somewhere in the distance. The faces of Suzette and Joaquin were turned slightly downwards as if watching those who came to view them. Suzette cradled a staff with a snake coiled around it in one arm, perhaps a reference to the Greek god of healing, Asclepius, her other reached for Joaquin’s hand which was also reaching for hers. Joaquin held a familiar book close to his chest with his other arm and had a sword hanging from his hip. Khan smiled, he’d never seen Joaquin with a sword but he understood the symbolism.

“Your brother and sister?” Riddick asked, coming up next to him.

“Yes. Suzette and Joaquin,” Khan said, not taking his eyes off the statues. “I thought I’d never get to see their faces again.”

“If theirs is as accurate as yours, I know what they looked like too.”

Khan smiled. “They are.”

“Handsome family,” Riddick said, grinning.

Aereon and the others joined them. “We knew what you look like because Joaquin would draw you often. There’s a whole gallery inside of his drawings and from others inspired by his work. You’ll be able to see all their faces there.”

Khan looked at her, his heart aching. “All of them?”

Aereon nodded. “All seventy-two Elders and many of those who followed. We have some time before the Elemental Elders and the rest of the guests arrive. Would you like to see them now?”

Khan looked back at the statues, his longing to see more of his family overpowering. “I would.”

***

Vaako pushed a piece of meat with his fork and looked around the table. The day had been full of surprises but he kept silent through most of it, preferring to watch and listen.  
His eyes turned to the head of the table where Khan sat. The Augment laughed at something Riddick said and leaned in to reply, gently touching the Furyan’s hand as he did so. Though the move was genuine, Vaako knew it was also a calculated statement, just as his insistence that Vaako and his wife would be at the same table as he had been.

Vaako couldn’t help but compare Khan to Zhylaw, their differences, and their similarities. Like Zhylaw, Khan was brimming with the confidence and arrogance which came with wielding great power. Unlike Zhylaw, he was patient and courteous to those around him, using charm and diplomacy instead of intimidation. That had been evident in the way he had handled himself when he had been introduced to noble, after noble, after noble. Even Vaako had been annoyed at the never ending line of them and he wasn’t even the one being introduced to them.

“Stop scowling, husband,” Nyoka hissed. “You look like you’re about to kill someone.”

Vaako tried to relax his face. “It’s all this posturing,” he hissed back. “He obviously has sway over these people, they practically worship him, why bother with these games? We all know that as soon as Krone transcends he’ll be coming here.”

“Which buys us some time. It will take him months to get to the Threshold and who knows how long to transcend, assuming he does at all.” Nyoka said, sipping her wine. “Ugh, this tastes awful!” she placed the glass down and took a bite of her meal. “Besides, Khan knows that these people will be useless in a fight. Taking them as they are now in a war against the Necromongers will be leading them to their deaths.”

“Then why are we wasting our time here?” He said tasting the wine himself. It was one of the best wines he’d ever tasted.

“Do you have a ship and the means to find what’s left of the Furyans and Aquilans? Besides, if nothing else, its numbers, technology, and their ability to calculate the odds can be very useful as well. Khan knows that and he also knows that he needs them as allies. Insulting them now will get him nothing.”

“You’ve seen those gathered when we landed. Why does he need these nobles at all? The people will follow him.”

Nyoka sighed. “You still see things like a Necromonger. You keep what you kill will not work here. If Khan shows aggression, if he tries to take control by force, the people are likely to turn against him.”

Vaako knew that his wife was probably right, though he also feared that the Necromonger way of converting or killing would prove more effective in the end. “Krone will be replenishing his forces on his way to the Threshold and then again on his way here. I just wish we could strike now, while the Empire is still low in numbers.”

“It’s not that low in numbers,” Nyoka said.

“It is compared to the numbers Zhylaw had, and the numbers Krone _will_ have when he’s ready.”

“Lord Khan.” 

A loud and demanding voice interrupted whatever his wife was about to say. Vaako looked down the table to see who would call Khan anything other than ‘my Lord’ and saw Khan turn to look at the large Elder, Beinn. There was a flash of annoyance in Khan’s eyes that was quickly concealed.

“Yes, councilor Beinn,” Khan said with a smug smile, as if the man was asking for his permission to speak rather than to get his attention. Something that didn’t go unnoticed by Beinn himself, neither did the silence that suddenly fell over everyone at their table.

The older man glanced around at everyone staring at him and then back to Khan’s unwavering gaze. Vaako almost felt sorry for the man, who seemed to regret his earlier confrontational tone. “Lord Khan,” he said in a lower tone. “As I understand from the reports Aereon sent us regarding yourself, you’ve only recently been awakened from cryosleep into our century.”

Khan lifted his glass. “Your point, Beinn?”

Vaako choked back a laugh and heard similar reactions from around the table. He didn’t know if Khan’s little pun with the Elder’s name had been intentional, but it was obvious that none missed it. Khan took a sip of wine and when he lowered the glass he had his usual impassive expression on.

“My point, Lord Khan, is that while we all know our history and your place in it...you are a man out of your time.”

“I was a man out of my time the first time I awoke, Beinn, and yet I designed weapons and ships those people of the future only dreamed of.”

“But your war against them failed.”

Khan’s eyes narrowed. “I’m an Augment, not a god. If you expect me to fight another war on my own...then yes, I will fail. We are like wolves, a lone one is dangerous enough, but the real danger is the pack.” He took a deep breath and considered Beinn carefully. “You boasted earlier that you have Eric’s blood in your veins,” Khan’s eyes softened and he smiled almost fondly at Beinn. “I can see that, I knew Eric well, I practically raised him...though we were the same age. It's your posture, even some of your features but mostly your heart. He was also kindhearted and he also feared the unknown.” Khan sat up and leaned towards Beinn. “But he always did what had to be done, for his people, for his family, despite his fears. Can you?”

“It’s not just a matter of fear, which I will not deny having, my Lord,” Beinn said and hesitated.

Vaako took note of how this time Beinn said ‘my Lord’ instead of ‘Lord Khan’. Despite the man’s resistance, it seemed that Khan was already winning him over. It wasn’t just the words, or how he said them, or even those eyes that at times seemed to strip a man down to his core. No, Khan had a magnetism to him that, even though Vaako also felt it at times, he still couldn’t explain it.

“Then please, enlighten me, Councilor Beinn,” Khan said and leaned back in his chair.

“The Aquilans were a renowned force in their sector of the galaxy, my Lord. They had a vast network of outposts and, even though they were peaceful and philosophical by nature, they still commanded one of the fiercest defence armies in the galaxy. They had repelled all alien hostile forces in the past with ease...until the Necromongers. There is a reason they are known as the Silent Death. They are untraceable, undetectable, only the comet heralds their arrival and by then it's too late.”

Vaako wasn’t sure if he was amused or annoyed at the unimpressed expression on Khan’s face as he listened to the Elder. After all, everything the Elder said was true.

“Tell me, Beinn,” Khan said after a short pause. “This vast Aquilan outpost network, was it manned or automated?”

When Beinn hesitated, Udara, the eldest of the Elders answered. “Automated, my Lord. The whole network was unmanned unless maintenance was required and even then it was rare since the outposts could self-repair.”

“What does that matter?” Beinn countered. “Manned or unmanned, no one knows how the Necromongers can pass undetected.”

Khan’s eyes slowly turned to Vaako and others soon followed the direction of his gaze. Vaako sat up straighter in his chair, suddenly nervous. He felt Nyoka’s hand grip his knee under the table and looked at her. She nodded and squeezed his knee again. “They,” he began and had to clear his throat. “They can pass undetected because they use no conventional forms of communication. There is nothing to detect since telepathy cannot be detected. Also, because of the process of conversion, their life-signs are hard to detect, even more so through the ice and gaseous emissions the armada uses to disguise itself as a comet.” He looked back at Khan. “You are right, my Lord, if those outposts had been manned...perhaps the Aquilans could’ve gotten an early warning and maybe even stood a chance.”

“And how is it that you know so much about the inner workings of the Necromonger empire, young Aquilan?” Udara asked, not unkindly. “As far as we know they take no prisoners, they only convert or kill.”

Vaako sensed more than saw his wife sit up straighter and he unconsciously did the same. Why was his heart pounding so fast? “I was converted, a long time ago...and so was my wife. When I came across Khan... I was Lord Marshal of the Necromongers.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the 'world-building' chapter, I tried to make it interesting...I hope I succeded somewhat. Thoughts and suggestions to improve are welcome.
> 
> A big thank you to LiteraryHedonism for beta-reading this chapter and working with me on the finer details, you rock! Please head over to their account and check out their stories. I highly recommend!
> 
> And as always thank you to all who have left me comments/kudos, your support means a lot!
> 
> Stay safe! <3


	6. Chapter 6

~  
 _“Khan?”_

_Khan opened his eyes to Eric’s face hovering over him. For a moment he wondered what Eric was doing there, and why did he look so young? But that feeling only lasted a moment. The room was dark and Eric seemed ready to cry. “Eric? What’s wrong?”_

_“I… had a bad dream. Can I sleep with you again?”_

_Ever since the maze experiment, whenever Eric was scared he’d come running to him and every time Khan didn’t have the heart to refuse him. “Of course you can,” he said and moved over to make room for him. The smaller boy snuggled against him and closed his eyes. Khan wrapped an arm around him and tried to get back to sleep._

_“Khan?”_

_His eyes flew open. “Suzette?”_

_She bit her bottom lip and looked at him from under her long eyelashes. “Could I…”_

_Confused Khan scooted closer to Eric, who snored in protest, and lifted the covers for her. She lay next to him and wrapped an arm around him, petting Eric’s hair before letting her hand and head drop on Khan’s chest._

_“Um, are you okay?” He asked._

_She nodded. “For now… Khan… they’ll be testing poisons on me tomorrow.”_

_Khan understood then, his first test on poison resistance had been excruciating. “Don’t worry,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “You are strong, you will get through it.”_

_He felt her trembling. “Adrian didn’t,” she said and he felt the wetness of her tears on his chest. His heart squeezed as he again felt the loss of Adrian. “No,” he said quietly. “He didn’t, but you will. I promise.”_

_He held her and let her cry quietly on his chest until she finally fell asleep. Both she and Eric dissipated from his arms like smoke blown away by the wind and he found himself alone under a starry sky. He looked down at himself and realized that he was years older now. I’m dreaming. The thought came like a whisper and faded away into the back of his mind._

_The facility was quiet. All the doctors and scientists had either left for the night or were sleeping in their supposed ‘secure’ dorm rooms. He looked up at the night sky, took a deep breath, and enjoyed the night air on his skin. Their creators hadn’t yet realized that Khan could now hack into their systems, get through any door, and even loop the camera feeds. His superior hearing would alert him of any guards that decided to get off their lazy asses and do rounds. Though most nights they didn’t bother. They just sat in their control room and Khan doubted they even bothered to look at the screens anymore._

_“It’s a beautiful night tonight,” Suzette said, coming up behind him._

_He had heard her the moment she entered the hallway leading to the courtyard. He had left the doors open for her. “It is,” he said and looked up at her as she came to a stop next to him.  
She smiled down at him and sat on the small bench next to him. It had almost become a ritual for them, coming out here late at night and looking up at the stars. He wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Her long hair falling over his naked back like a soft, silk sheet._

_“After tomorrow, we will be looking up at the sky free,” she said, “and all who wronged us will be dead.”_

_He felt her smile against his shoulder. “Not all,” he said and leaned his head against hers. “We’ll still have a lot of work to do before we can be truly free.”_

_“Do you really think we can do it? Your plan sounds impossible even for us, brother.”_

_“There’s more of us out there, a lot more. Other facilities like this all around the world. Once we escape here we’ll go find them and free them as well… then we will bring humanity to its knees and only then will we be free.”_

_She was quiet for a while, then he felt her shift slightly and take a deep breath. “I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing,” she quoted a line from his favorite book._

_Khan chuckled. “As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote. I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts.”_

_She sat up straight and raised her arms to the sky. “Give not thyself up, then, to fire, lest it invert thee, deaden thee, as for the time it did me. There is a wisdom that is woe; but there is a woe that is madness!”_

_They both laughed and held on to each other until their mirth simmered down to breathless giggles. They both heard the guard coming at the same time and quieted down._

_“There she blows!” Suzette whispered in his ear and grabbed his hand pulling him after her as they made their escape, unnoticed, back to their room, with the guard always missing them just around the corner._

~

Khan opened his eyes to semi-darkness. The dream left a weight on his heart and he knew going back to sleep would be impossible now. He slowly extracted himself from Riddick's arms and got out of bed. He didn't bother putting on his robe, the night was chilly but at that moment it suited his mood. He walked outside to the balcony and propped his elbows on the marble railing.

After some deliberation and surprisingly very few objections, they had given him rooms at the top of the Aether tower. It seemed that this choice had some greater meaning to it, one that he suspected but would have to confirm tomorrow with Aereon. The old Elemental was proving quite useful, she knew what would impress or influence her people and set it up perfectly for him to manipulate. He didn’t fully trust her yet, since he was pretty sure that she was using the same method on him, but he could work with that. Either way, the view was spectacular.

The Elemental city below glimmered beautifully, bathed in the light of the planet's two moons and the few lights still on within some of the buildings. He wondered if it was others like him, who sleep eluded them or perhaps children afraid of the dark. The thought made him smile. Eric had been afraid of the dark when they were little, among other things, and would sneak into his bed many a night. Just as he had in that memory of a dream. 

His smile remained fond but had a hint of sadness as he remembered when the others began sneaking into his bed as well. They eventually had to pull a few of the beds together so they could all sleep in a pile. For whatever reason, the scientists had allowed them that small comfort, as long as they put everything back come the morning. His smile faded, that was when the experiments began. The poisons, the chemicals, the cuts, and extreme conditions. No one cared that, despite their augmentations, they were still just frightened children. So he took it upon himself to be the one that cared. He pretended that nothing scared him, he volunteered when he thought it would spare the others, it was not much, but he did all he could. 

"Beastie?"

He had been so lost in his memories he hadn’t even heard the big guy as he came up behind him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." He didn’t know why he kept his voice to a whisper. The only sleeping children around were the ones in his head.

"You didn't. Your absence did,” Riddick said gently and came to stand next to him. There was a long moment of comfortable silence between them before Riddick spoke again. “I still can't figure out how you can sneak out of bed without waking me."

Khan chuckled. "I had a lot of practice, with a lot more people in my bed."

"Oh?"

Khan grinned as he sensed a hint of jealousy through the Bond. "Mhm. My siblings slept in my bed when they were scared. But, sometimes I was too restless for sleep, so I learned to untangle myself without disturbing their sleep as well."

Riddick wrapped him in his arms and pulled him so his back rested against the broad chest. "And what did you do once you learned to successfully sneak out of bed?"

Khan shrugged. "I'd read, exercise... eventually I learned how to sneak out of the building entirely. Then I started going outside to look at the stars, it wasn't long until my sister Suzette figured it out and began joining me." He sighed. That was when they began to make their plans for their future, under those stars.

Riddick squeezed him and kissed him on his neck just below the ear. "Those sound like good memories."

Khan nodded. "Bittersweet, like all my memories of them. I read some of Joaquin’s journal before going to sleep, he wrote about the day they woke up Suzette. I guess that’s why I dreamed of her." He chuckled. “She took doctor McCoy hostage.”

“That must’ve complicated things a bit,” Riddick said and Khan felt the big guy’s amusement.

“It was handled, in the end. I wish I could’ve been there for them. It’s strange being away from my family. Didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

"You're making a family here too, you know. I don’t see Vaako and Nyoka going anywhere any time soon, and I know I won’t."

"Of course. I didn't mean to insinuate that you're not my family." For a moment he was tempted to tell Riddick but then decided against it. Nyoka had the right to know first, if she didn’t know already.

Riddick’s arms wrapped tighter around him. "I know, Beastie. You grew up with them, you miss them, everyone understands that. I was only letting you know how loved you are here as well."

Khan's heart soared for a moment. He turned in Riddick's arms and kissed him. "I love you too."

Riddick gently brushed his unruly fringe back, his eyes reflecting the light of the two moons as he looked up while he did so. “Then why so sad?”

Khan sighed and turned back to look over the city once more. Sometimes he hated not being able to hide his emotions from Riddick. “Most of the time, when I think of them, I believe they are out there...starting their new lives, free of our past. They are building a new world for themselves, starting families...and then it hits me. They are all long dead by now and I...I don’t know how to mourn them, because they also still alive to me.”

“Well, they are...alive, I mean,” Riddick said. “Kirk was long dead too but he came here looking for you anyway. I’m no philosopher but it seems to me like time has no meaning in this case.”

Khan turned and grinned at the big guy. “Are you trying to tell me that time is nonlinear?”

“If that helps.”

The surge of love he felt for the man before him almost stole Khan’s breath. It must’ve hit Riddick through the Bond as well because the big guy’s eyes widened visibly and he took in a sharp breath. Khan pulled out of Riddick’s arms and took the big man’s hand in his. He smiled and pulled him back towards the bed.

***

Nyoka bit into the succulent, yellow fruit and tried her hardest not to moan as the delicious juices filled her mouth. Who knew eating could be such an enjoyable experience? She gave up trying on her second bite and three sets of eyes turned to her. Her husband’s, now bright green, disapproving gaze, the goggled ones with an amused twitch of lips, and the sky blue, half-lidded ones. She ignored them all and sucked a drop of juice from her thumb, her own gaze drawn to the view from Khan’s new rooms.

They were sitting on a large balcony, with its white floor, white stone railing, white curtains billowing in the gentle breeze behind her, and a white city stretching out below them. “Would it kill them to use a bit of black or grey now and then?” she complained, picking another of the small yellow fruits. 

A slow smile crept on Khan’s lips. He was the only one not partaking in their rather generous breakfast. Instead, he was slouched in his chair, with his white shirt open halfway down his torso, showing off smooth skin and a rather well-sculpted chest. He watched them with an almost sleepy expression that would have worked if those eyes weren’t so alert. Nyoka thought he looked rather delicious himself and it was a shame he was such a prude, or the four of them could’ve had a lot of fun.

“I kind of like it,” Vaako said. “Makes everything look so...clean.”

That got a chuckle from Riddick. “I’m sure that was their goal...to look clean.”

“Shut it, fish-eyes,” Vaako said and grinned anyway.

Nyoka smiled too and hid it with another bite of fruit. Vaako had loosened up a lot since he returned to the world of the fully living, but a smile was still a rare sight on him. Nyoka wished he would smile more, it was a good look on him. Though they were probably heading in more danger than they had ever been in, even when they were at the heart of Necromonger politics, she never felt as carefree as she did now. She felt alive, free and she knew Vaako felt the same. They hadn’t fought or exchanged bitter words once since they had been de-converted. It was as if all their hard edges had been smoothed down and they found that they fit perfectly, and comfortably, together.

“You seem well,” Khan said, so softly that she barely heard him. It also took her a moment to realize he was addressing her.

“I feel well,” she said, wondering why the sudden statement. She could see with the edge of her vision Vaako stiffen up. He looked at her and then at Khan a frown forming on his face.

“No dizziness?” Khan purred, keeping his sleepy facade intact. 

She frowned. “Not since the first day, are you worried about side effects?”

He smirked. “Oh yes,” he said and stood up. 

He walked around the table to her and motioned for her to stand. She did so cautiously, Vaako rising with her. She could almost feel Vaako’s tension behind her but she was almost certain that Khan’s mood was playful more than anything else. The Augment held out his hands, palms up, and after a short hesitation, she placed her hands in his. Though his hands were not as beefy as Riddick’s or even her husbands, he did have long, delicate-looking fingers and his hands still dwarfed hers. She was more surprised at how soft his palms were.

“Can you sense me?” he asked, and his hands closed around hers.

She did feel more from him now that she also had physical contact. He was indeed in a playful mood, also happy but mixed with worry and uncertainty. “Yes, of course.”

“And Riddick?”

She looked at the Furyan who looked just as confused as she was. He was just as confused as she was. “Yes. Khan-”

“What else?” he asked, squeezing her hands slightly.

She huffed. “You know I can’t sense Vaako.” It was becoming a sore spot for her. Even though Vaako kept reassuring her that they didn’t need empathic abilities to know what they felt for each other.

“Focus, Nyoka, what else?”

“Nothing else. Khan, what’s the meaning of this?”

He sighed. “It might be too early...or still too weak to sense over us.”

“What is?” Vaako burst out, finally reaching his limit.

Khan reversed his grip on her hands and guided them to her belly. He pressed her hands against it gently with his own and smiled almost sheepishly. “I can hear it,” he said.

Nyoka frowned. “Hear wha-” she sensed something then. It wasn’t emotions, not really, it was something though, a presence. A tiny flutter of a presence. She looked up at Khan and her heart began racing. “I’m a fucking breeder?” she whispered. He raised an eyebrow at her and retrieved his hands the worry and uncertainty she felt from him earlier intensified. For some reason that made her laugh. She turned to Vaako with probably the widest, stupidest grin on her face. “I’m pregnant,” she told him and laughed at the expression of pure shock on his face. “Vaako, we’re having a baby!”

“A baby?” he asked as if he didn’t understand the words then his expression changed and he returned her idiotic grin. “A baby?”

She jumped into his arms and as always he caught her and kissed her.

***

Vaako didn’t know how to process that. “A baby?” he asked, unsure if those were the words that came out of Nyoka’s mouth. Her grin widened and she nodded. “A baby?” he said again and felt a rush of unreasonable joy shoot through him, stretching his mouth in an unfamiliar way. Nyoka jumped into his arms and he caught her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her roughly. His emotions were like a wave on the beach, rushing in with immense joy one moment and pulling back, leaving intense fear the next.

They, the former Lord Marshal and Lady of the Necromongers, had created a life. They were bringing life into this universe instead of taking. He gently put Nyoka down again and looked into her eyes, he was shocked to see tears there even though she was still smiling. This should’ve been impossible for them. They never considered it could be possible, even after their conversion had been reversed. 

He wiped the tears away from his wife’s cheeks and looked over her head at the man behind her. The eyes that met his were calculating. It was that look that seemed to pierce to a man’s core and find the truth at his center. Vaako was tempted to ask the man what he saw in his core.

“Congratulations, you two,” Riddick said and a heavy hand clapped Vaako on the shoulder.

Vaako turned and took Riddick’s offered hand. “Thank you?”

“Yeah,” Riddick said. “I think that’s what normal people say.” He turned to Nyoka and held his arms out with a cocked eyebrow and a teasing grin.

“Oh, what the hell,” she said and hugged him. “Thank you, Riddick.” She pulled back and turned to Khan. “And thank you.” She hugged him as well and kissed his cheek. “After all, this is as much your fault as his,” she told him, pointing at Vaako with her thumb.

Khan’s eyes met Vaako’s again but the moment from before was gone. The Augment smiled at him and Vaako nodded in response.

Riddick crossed his arms. “So, is that the sort of exercise you do when you sneak out of our bed?”

Khan’s eyebrows shot up and a bit of color crept in his cheeks, he even took a small step back from Nyoka. That look on the Augment’s face, so different from before, seemed so ridiculously comical to Vaako that he burst out laughing. Everyone looked at him with various expressions of surprise which only made him laugh harder. He couldn’t stop.

“I think we broke him,” Riddick said and chuckled. 

Nyoka joined in and the three of them laughed. Vaako had tears running down his cheeks and the muscles in his stomach cramped. He looked at the object of their mirth as he began to regain control of his functions but Khan only had a faint smile on his lips and a strange, almost fond look in his eyes. Both were quickly gone when he noticed Vaako watching him.

“You are, of course, released from your oath,” the Augment said, walking around the table to reclaim his seat. “I can probably arrange for a ship to take you away from here. Find a suitable planet to raise your child.”

The laughter died as suddenly as it came. Vaako stared at Khan, wondering what brought that about. The Augment once again had that bored expression he’d had most of the morning but when their eyes met, Vaako saw that calculating look again, even half-hidden behind the man’s eyelashes.

Vaako reached for Nyoka and pulled her into his arms. He looked down at her and saw what she wanted clearly written on her face. “No,” he said. “Our oath stands, now more than ever.” He put his hand over her belly and she covered it with hers. “This is one more reason why the Necromongers must be stopped.” He looked back at Khan. “So you can stop testing me. I’m all in. We both are.”

Khan tilted his head and gave him a smug smile. “I always wanted to be an uncle.” He made a lazy gesture for them to sit down. “You didn’t seem happy to reveal your past, yesterday,” Khan said, once they were all sitting again.

Vaako frowned. Another test? “Of course not. I’m not naive, no one will welcome a Necromonger at their table. Though their reaction was not what I had expected.”

Riddick, who appeared to have lost interest in the conversation once they sat back down and was now fiddling with one of his daggers, gave off a low thoughtful rumble. “Because you’re not a Necro anymore,” he waved the point of his dagger in Khan’s direction. “Isn’t that why you had Aereon parade him around as an Aquilan?” When he looked back at Vaako again he barked a laugh. “You need to start thinking more like your wife, Vaako, if you want to keep up with him.”

Vaako frowned at Riddick and glared at Khan. “You had it all planned? It wasn’t about the Aquilans and Furyans, you wanted to show them that not only did you face the Necromongers but also took their Lord Marshal.”

Khan shrugged though he failed to completely hide the pleasure from his gaze. “That was part of it. Another was the fact that you are no longer Necromongers, in any sense. Something I hope you’ll not be shy about in the future.”

Nyoka took in a sharp breath. “That look you exchanged with Aereon in the hovercraft! You were selling her the cure, weren’t you? And this baby is the proof. Fixing their...problem will definitely gain you some loyalty.” She laughed and shook her head. “Brilliant.”

Vaako looked at his wife with disbelief. What was she saying? “No one is experimenting on our baby,” he growled around the table. A short, tense silence followed his words.

“Of course not,” Khan said in that low tone that somehow conveyed more anger than any shouting ever would. “And don’t ever imply to me that I would use my family in such a way.”

“Your family?” Vaako asked.

Khan stared at him then rolled his eyes. “The mere existence of your child is all I need. The experiments will be mostly on me.” He grinned, though Vaako caught sight of Riddick looking up from his dagger with a frown. Khan’s grin disappeared and his eyes flicked towards the Furyan but he pressed on. “Now, to the matter at hand. You were there during the invasion on Aquilan?”

“Yes,” both he and Nyoka answered.

“Tell me about those outposts. Were they destroyed?”

“No,” Vaako said. “But it’s as you guessed, they were unmanned and therefore useless. Unless one was directly in the armada’s way, I doubt we bothered to destroy it.”

“How soon do you think they’ll be coming for us?”

Vaako glanced at Nyoka before answering. “We firmly believe Krone will want to transcend before he does anything else. That was one of his main...grudges against me and Riddick before me.”

Riddick grunted agreement. “Had a real hard-on for the threshold, that one.”

“I’ve never been there myself,” Vaako went on. “But from what I’ve read and seen from the Lord Marshal’s notes and maps...it's perhaps five, or more, months from where we left the armada. If we can get our hands on some maps maybe I can give you a better estimation.”

“I’ll see that you get them,” Khan said. “I’d also be interested in learning if the armada will have to pass by any of those Aquilan outposts to get here. If it does I’d like to use them to create an early warning system.”

Vaako nodded. Visual contact would probably be the best way to detect the armada, though anyone manning those outposts would be as good as dead once they sent out a signal. “Now the problem would be getting the Elementals off their ass.”

“I believe Khan has that handled, husband, after all, he already got a seat on the council. Isn’t that so?” Nyoka said, with her cat-with-a-canary smirk.

It was Riddick that voiced the question in Vaako’s mind. “When did that happen?” 

“Oh come on,” Nyoka said, looking between Riddick and Vaako, she rolled her eyes at them. “You don’t really think all the fuss and voting last night was just for these rooms?” Her exasperation grew at their blank looks. “The Groundless Ground? pure Existence itself? Existence devoid of any content? Their damn ‘take it on faith’! Oh for crying... This palace is the home of their leaders, each of them has a tower. Four leaders, five towers and they just gave him the fifth tower.”

“But why?” Vaako asked, he could see the connection with the towers theory but could not see why they’d just give Khan a seat on the council. “Just because they build him into a legend? No offense.”

Khan grinned. “None taken.”

“A legend that lives up to his legend,” Nyoka went on. “Think about it. He appears three hundred years later, he faces off with the Necromongers and lives to tell about it, he has two former Lord Marshals as allies, he can reverse the Necromonger conversion and the people adore him and what he stands for. All their calculating and meddling didn’t achieve half of what he achieved in such a short time. It's enough to make them take it on faith or at the very least, fear.”

Khan shrugged. “Most legends are created by serendipitous events.”

Vaako grunted. “I’m starting to doubt that anything you do is by chance, my Lord.”

***

Honing his blades always helped him think and Riddick had a lot to think about. He was usually a man of action, his instincts serving him better than any planning ever did, but he was on unfamiliar ground now. Their guests had left a while ago, probably had a lot of thinking to do themselves. Wrapping their heads around the fact of becoming parents couldn’t be easy for those two.

His eyes shifted to Khan. They had remained on the balcony since it was a nice, cool day and Khan didn’t seem in any hurry to leave their rooms. Once Vaako and Nyoka excused themselves, Khan had pulled his legs up on the chair and wrapped his arms around his knees. He was staring out over the city below with that utterly nonchalant expression he had all morning. Riddick knew that look, it was the lazy confidence of a predator that knew he didn’t need to rush to make a kill. 

Riddick had teased Vaako about needing to think more like his wife if he was to keep up with Khan, but the truth was that he himself rarely knew what the Beastie was thinking. He usually figured it out after the fact and that didn’t sit well with him. Not anymore. Not after today.

“How long have you known about Nyoka’s bundle of joy?” He asked.

Khan blinked, startled out of his thinking, but didn’t look at him. “I first heard it when they met us outside our room, before the landing.”

“And how soon after that little miracle did you start making plans?”

His head turned then, the beginnings of a frown forming between his eyebrows. “Immediately,” he said cautiously. 

Riddick felt him pull back from the Bond. They were not off to a good start. “And didn’t think to clue me in?”

The frown deepened just a bit. “I thought Nyoka should know before anyone else. Its-”

“I’m not talking about the damn embryo!” Riddick growled. “I’m talking about how you decided to become a fucking lab rat for these people without running it by me first.”

Khan’s eyes flew wide and then immediately narrowed to slits. He unfolded from his chair and stood. “You don’t own me, Riddick. You don’t speak to me like that,” he said coldly and turned to walk away. 

Riddick was on him in an instant. He grabbed his arm, swung him around, and had him pinned against the wall in the blink of an eye. “The hell I don’t,” he growled low in his face. “Remember who you’re talking to, Khan. I’m not one of your adoring fans. I don’t bow to you.” The Bond came rushing back. Shock, fear, anger and finally hurt. He let go and stepped back, Khan remained where he was, silently staring at him, his eyes like ice. Riddick looked away, regretting his anger. It had been a long time since he’d lost control like that. He removed his goggles to lock eyes with the younger man. It hurt and it made him vulnerable in the daylight but it felt like the right move. “I own you, just as much as you own me. You want me to stand at your side yet you make decisions as if you’re still on your own. I might not know a lot about politics, you might think I don’t have much to offer here, but how can I watch your back if I don’t know what your plans are? Or am I just another pawn to you?”

Something flashed beneath the surface of Khan’s hardened expression. “Of course not.”

“Then what? You think I can’t handle it? Not smart enough?”

Khan finally pushed off the wall, rearranging his clothes. “You’re one of the most intelligent people I know, Riddick, and I doubt there’s much you can’t handle.” He sighed and pushed his fringe back with some annoyance. “We just don’t know each other all that well, despite how we feel for each other.” He looked at him with a cheeky smirk. “Though, you could’ve just told me how you felt without slamming me into a wall.”

Riddick put his goggles back on and crossed his arms. “I thought I wasn’t supposed to speak to you like that.”

Khan visibly winced. “I’m sorry, big guy.” He walked over, leaned against the table, and pinched the bridge of his nose. He suddenly looked so weary, as if all the weight of the world was on his shoulders, that Riddick felt his anger fading away. “You’re right,” he said, leaning further back and propping himself on his hands. His fringe once again escaping to fall over his right eye. “I’m too used to working on my own, making the decisions, not being questioned.”

“Even with your family?”

Khan looked up at him. “Especially with my family. Joaquin was the only one that would question me a bit, but I always had the last say in all matters.”

Riddick moved closer and brushed the fringe back into place. “Sounds lonely.”

“This from a man who chose to live in a cave on an uninhabited planet?”

“I don’t think either of us chose to be who we are, Beastie, but I chose you. Yeah, we don’t know each other all that well, yet...but it takes two to tango, whatever that means.”

Khan’s eyebrows arched and he blinked. “Whatever what means? To tango?” He chuckled at Riddick’s nod and sat on the edge of the table, pulling Riddick in with his legs, wrapping them around him. “It's a sensual ballroom dance,” he ran a finger down the middle of Riddick’s chest. He looked up at him with bedroom eyes and Riddick’s body responded almost instantly. “So sensual that they call sex the horizontal tango.”

Riddick grinned. “I always thought it had something to do with sex,” he said, leaning in for a kiss.

Khan pulled back with a teasing grin right before their lips met. “I thought you wanted to talk?”

Riddick grabbed Khan’s ass and lifted him off the table. “Lets tango first.”


	7. Chapter 7

Riddick gazed up at Khan, enjoying the view as the younger man, head tilted back and eyes closed, tried to catch his breath. It was always a treat when the Beastie decided to ride him, Riddick got to lay back and watch the transformation from reserved to something wild and breathtakingly sensual. He placed his hands on Khan’s trembling thighs and caressed upwards, lifting his hips at the same time for one last, lazy thrust before his cock would go soft. He grinned at the soft whimper and shiver that went up Khan’s body. Eyelids fluttered open and luminus blue eyes looked down at him, still dilated with lust.

“You’re getting rather good at this,” Riddick said, his own voice deep and thick.

Khan’s eyebrow lifted. “Getting?” he inquired, looking mildly insulted.

It wasn’t easy but Riddick kept a straight face. He shrugged. “There’s room for improvement.” He saw Khan’s eyes narrow and felt the shift of the younger man’s thighs against his hips. Riddick laughed and before Khan could make his escape he grabbed on to the younger man’s hips and rolled them over. “Relax, Beastie,” he purred as he settled between Khan’s legs and buried his face in the crook of that slender neck. “I’m only teasing.” He sucked on the soft skin and felt himself going hard once more. He swung his hips and buried himself deep inside Khan’s warmth.

Khan grunted as Riddick reached bottom, then relaxed beneath him. “You better be, you bastard.”

Riddick chuckled and lifted his head. “I could watch you ride me all day. There’s nothing more beautiful.” He nipped his chin. “Sexy.” He smiled when Khan’s cheeks turned red but he could also feel the gratification the younger man felt through the Bond.

“It’ll take more than words to make it up to me,” Khan said and lifted his head to meet Riddick’s lips.

Riddick pressed down, deepening the kiss and let his hips do the talking. Slow, forceful thrusts, which hit the right spot each time, coaxed Khan’s spent member back to hardness and soon the younger man began lifting his hips to meet him halfway. A clear sign as any that the Beastie wanted him to go faster and harder. Riddick obliged, in part, he shifted his position so each thrust was vicious but with a tormentingly slow pull back. The younger man’s hands grabbed hold of his biceps, nails digging into Riddick’s skin, his head tilted back to expose his neck and his eyes slowly closed. Riddick could feel Khan’s muscles tightening in anticipation each time he pulled back, right before he forced his way back in. It made the animal inside him stirr, it wanted to claim, to dominate. He pulled back further than before, only the head of his cock inside his mate, as a deep growl rumbled inside his chest, rising to his throat. The body beneath him stilled, eyes opened to search his own and Riddick sensed a hint of fear, perfectly mixed with a sense of thrill and rising anticipation. Delicious.

The animal inside him coiled for the attack and Riddick didn’t attempt to stop it. He rammed his cock deep inside the fleshy entrance with a snarl, relishing the choked off cry of his mate, the animal didn’t take the time to analyze it as he desperately plunged into the warm depths with fast, erratic thrusts. Teeth sought skin and fingers squeezed flesh enough to bruise, it still wasn’t enough. With another snarl he pulled back and flipped the younger man over. One hand caressed roughly along the smooth back to grab hold of a shoulder, the other wrapped around the slim waist and pulled up. Khan shifted slightly and Riddick growled a warning that eased to a deep purr as he realized the other was positioning himself to better serve him. 

Riddick let go of the other’s shoulder and grabbed hold of his own cock, he ground the head slowly between those firm asscheeks until the younger man whimpered and pushed back. Riddick grabbed both hips firmly and with a grunt he rammed back into the tight heat of Khan’s ass, pulling the other hard against him, jerking his hips to go even deeper. He didn’t allow for a reprieve, he began pounding Khan, riding him hard, his own hips and thighs trembling with the exertion. He felt Khan clench around his shaft and he thrust even harder. He shuddered at the sensation building in his loins and his hips started to stutter, his movements erratic, almost desperate. 

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he took note of the strange yet familiar glow which shimmered over his and Khan’s skin but he quickly ignored it when he felt the younger man’s muscles spasm around his cock. He folded his body over Khan’s and bit into that perfect skin as he rode him through his orgasm. He rose again when it was over and dug his fingers hard into Khan’s hips, thrusting violently as he reached his own release with a hoarse, animalistic moan.

He took a moment to gasp a few deep breaths while his vision cleared of the tiny shooting lights before he collapsed over the younger man’s body, pressing him back into the mattress. He nuzzled at the back of Khan’s neck, taking in his scent while his hips still thrust lazily even as his member began to soften. The animal inside him finally satisfied that its claim was secure began to retreat.

Riddick’s wits slowly returned to normal, he pulled out and lifted his body on his elbows to allow Khan to breathe more easily. The younger man’s head was turned to the side, his mouth half open, panting quietly, with his eyes closed. A thin sheen of sweat coated his body, and his fringe had stuck to his forehead because of it. He hadn’t steered at all since Riddick had collapsed on top of him.

Riddick pressed his lips into a thin line. Khan might like it rough but Riddick had never allowed his animal side to fully take over before, not like this. He began to worry that he actually went too far and hurt his lover.

“Stop that,” Khan murmured, his eyes finally fluttering open. The younger man slowly rose onto his own elbows, pressing his back against Riddick’s chest. He turned his head and nuzzled at Riddick’s cheek, making a low sound between a sigh and a hum.

The move was so submissive that it stirred Riddick’s animal side again. “Stop what?” he asked gruffly and turned his head to claim the other’s mouth. His breath caught in his throat as a wave of immense satisfaction and love washed over him through the Bond. For a moment the feedback coming from Khan was so strong that he couldn’t tell who was feeling what. Khan broke the kiss and shifted underneath him. Riddick lifted his body more to allow the smaller man to turn over. As their eyes locked, Riddick could see that Khan sensed the change as well. 

The younger man reached up and caressed his cheek, searching his face. “I love you, Riddick,” he said in a low voice.

The hint of fear in that statement silenced Riddick’s animalistic side completely. “I love you too, Beastie,” He said and took a deep breath. “That was never in question.” He sat back on his heels and let his eyes roam over Khan’s body, his hands caressing up the firm thighs to rest on the other’s bent knees. “Go clean yourself up,” he said gruffly, resisting the urge to fuck him again. “I’ll get us something to drink and we’ll talk.”

He got out of bed, pulled on his pants, and walked over to the liquor cabinet. He didn’t look back but after a long pause he heard Khan get out of bed and then the bathroom door closing. The liquor wouldn’t do much to Khan so he selected one based on flavor rather than strength. Bottle in one hand and two glasses in the other he headed to the balcony, he left them on the table and leaned on the railing, looking out over the city and listening to the water running in the bathroom.

That city looked too clean, too perfect, it made him wonder what dark secrets it held. The water stopped and a moment later the door opened. He turned around just as Khan stepped out to the balcony, wrapping a red and gold patterned robe around his naked body. On anyone else, Riddick would think that a garment like that looked ridiculous, on Khan, it made him look royal, graceful.

Khan gave him a wary glance as he made his way to the table. His movements as he poured them each a drink were smooth, though he wasn’t fooling Riddick. He could feel the younger man’s nervousness through the Bond all too clearly but it wasn’t that Khan feared him, the man would spit in death’s face. This was something else.

“You’re still angry,” Khan said as he put the bottle down. He didn’t pick up the glasses or look at him.

“I am,” Riddick admitted. He crossed his arms and sighed. “I don’t give a fuck about the Elementals and the Necromongers or even if there are any Furyans left out there. The only reason I’m here is you.” He walked up to the younger man and Khan finally turned to face him. “And as much as I enjoy this,” he went on, opening the other’s robe and looking hungrily over his body before meeting his eyes. “It’s not enough. I said I’d help you become Emperor, if that’s what you want...so let me help you. You don’t have to do everything alone.”

Khan closed his robe back up and considered him for a moment. “Well, I’ll need a personal army. People that the Elders have little or no control over. Suggestions?”

Riddick grinned. It was a start, a test. “Actually, I do.” He picked up his glass and gave Khan his. “Every city, no matter how civilized, casts shadows.”

*** 

Khan leaned back in his chair and sipped at the fine wine. He had listened carefully to what Riddick was suggesting and uneasiness washed over him when the big guy was done talking. “It’s too dangerous,” he said, even though he could see the advantage in it. It was actually a good suggestion, as good as it was risky.

“More dangerous than you offering to be a lab experiment?” Riddick countered. He was leaning back against the marble railing and it made Khan nervous, he couldn’t stop thinking how high up they were. “You’ll be in their hands with what? Just me, Vaako and a pregnant Nyoka as back up? We still don’t know where Aereon stands. What if the Elementals aren’t as noble as they claim?”

Khan bit the inside of his cheek. Riddick was still angry that he hadn’t consulted him on that matter but that didn’t make what he said unreasonable. There were risks, especially when people were desperate. “I’m sorry I didn’t speak with you before playing that card with Aereon, but I would have done it either way, Riddick. If this works they’ll be deeply indebted to me and I’ll have access to their labs. There are so many questions I need answers to.” He sighted. “Besides, we were in their hands the moment we stepped on Aereon’s ship.”

Riddick pushed off the railing, to Khan’s great and illogical relief, and approached him. The big guy crouched down before him, rested his hands on Khan’s knees and looked up at him. “I’m not suggesting anything I haven’t done before. I know my way around people like that. Had a life before you, you know.” He titled his head. “What is it that you’re looking for in the lab then?”

Khan sighed. “I don’t know, it's just something I suspect. I think someone tampered with Augment DNA again, probably Suzette. I suspected the moment Aereon showed me that tree and told me Suzette had genetically engineered it.”

Riddick nodded. “And if she did, what would that mean?”

Khan shrugged. “It could explain why you are all so different now, the differences are beyond the mixing of other species with augments. I could also be wrong and it means nothing or I could be right and the Elemental problem is a result of it.”

Riddick squeezed his knees. “I understand your curiosity and desire to help them with their issue, Beastie, but we need to focus on this war first. Vaako said it’ll take the Necros about six months there and six months back...a year doesn’t seem like a long time to prepare for this.”

“Time is the school in which we learn. Time is the fire in which we burn.” There was never enough time. He reached out and stroked Riddick’s jawline with the back of his fingers. “You told me I don’t have to do everything alone and you’re right. Keeping you constantly at my side is a waste of your abilities and as much as losing sight of you terrifies me... I trust you. I’ll trust you to be safe and get me the warriors I need. I have to focus on getting the Council’s and, by extension, the population’s support. If you want to do this, however, you’ll need to get out of the palace undetected and I think I know someone who can help.”

Riddick grinned. “Your little shadow?” he asked and got up, holding out his hand.

Khan smiled and took the big guy’s hand, allowing him to pull him to his feet. “I did promise to request her in my service and to keep training her. I think she has promise and she seems blindingly loyal to me. Now is as good a time as ever to recruit her.”

They went inside and Riddick headed to the bathroom to wash up. Khan headed to the door and opened it to look outside. As expected a servant was there waiting. Khan didn’t know his name but he recognized the man’s face, he had been on Aereon’s ship with them.

“Good morning my Lord, would you like me to call the staff to clear the table?” the man asked.

“Yes, thank you, I also need you to send someone to fetch Floga for me. She was on the ship with us.”

“I know who she is, my Lord, I will send for her right away.” The man bowed and turned to the lift.

Khan closed the door and headed to their bedroom to get dressed. He was pulling on his boots when there was a knock on the door. The familiar heartbeat made him smile as he opened it.

“Good morning, my Lord,” Floga panted. “You asked to see me.”

Khan’s smile widened, he was growing fond of the girl. “There was no reason to run all the way here, Floga, come in.”

“Yes, my Lord,” she said sheepishly, cheeks red as she stepped inside and looked around in wonder. “I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”

Khan walked to the balcony, the girl on his heels. “Have you had breakfast yet? There’s plenty left.” He sat back in his chair, picked a piece of bread and motioned for the girl to sit down.

“I have my Lord, but I’ll join you if you’d like company.” She picked a small bowl with some kind of butter-like cream and a small spread knife in it. “Have you tried this? It’s my favorite.” She held out the bowl for him and watched eagerly as he spread some on his bread.

He took a bite as the girl prepared a slice for herself. It was rather sweet with an almost nutmeg aftertaste to it. “Seems like we share a sweet tooth,” Khan said, “Might become my favorite too.”

Floga beamed at him before taking a bite of her own. Riddick joined them and after a few more pleasantries they all ate in silence for a while. Even though the girl was extremely nervous she did her best to seem at ease. They were finishing up when the door chime sounded.

“I’ll get it, my Lord,” Floga said, jumping to her feet and rushing to the door. A string of servants flooded in and without missing a beat Floga gave instructions on what needed to be done. They made quick work of clearing the table and tidying up the rooms, then left as quickly as they came. The girl returned to the table but didn’t sit back down until Khan motioned to her chair.

“You seem comfortable giving directions,” Khan commented once the girl was sitting again.

She blushed. “I hope I didn’t cross a line, my Lord. I’m used to it since I come from what you would call a noble family.”

“Not at all, I did call you here because I had promised to request you in my service. Would your family allow you to take such a position?”

Her eyes flew wide. “Of course! It would be a great honor for me and my family to serve you.”

Khan smiled at her eagerness. He had never been that young or that eager to please. “Then your first task is arranging for whatever transfer that will require. Now, I would also like to continue your training, so an area suitable for that will also have to be arranged.” He tilted his head as another thought came to mind. “Make it clear that anyone who wishes to is welcome to come and train with us.”

Floga nodded. “There’s a room suitable in your tower, my Lord, if you’ll allow it. I can begin setting up a program for you to see what time would be best for this.”

“Very well,” Khan said, pleased to see the girl taking charge. “I will also need galaxy maps provided to Vaako and Nyoka, or better yet see if you can get them access to any archives available in the palace. A meeting with Aereon should be arranged as well and after that a meeting with the Council at their earliest convenience.”

“Yes, my Lord,” Floga said without hesitation.

“And Floga, I’ll want you at my side during those meetings.”

“My Lord?”

“I need someone I can trust with me, someone who knows their way around Quintessa’s nobility and politics. I don’t expect you to do anything during those meetings, but I would be interested in hearing your impressions and thoughts afterward.”

“I will do my best, my Lord. I won’t let you down.”

Khan couldn’t shake the feeling that he was manipulating the girl. Her infatuation with him made her vulnerable to his influence but she was smart and with time and proper training she could overcome her awe of him and become a valuable ally. He just needed to make sure to nurture her critical thinking. He glanced at Riddick. “There is another matter I need your help with,” he said. “What I’m about to ask you stays between us.”

***

“I think I found something.”

Vaako looked up from the maps he was studying to his approaching wife. She brought over a small cylindrical device and set it on the table before him, she tapped it once and a three dimensional holographic image flickered to life. 

“It’s a map of the whole damn galaxy,” Nyoka went on. “It seems old and outdated, some of those systems don’t exist anymore, but look at this.” She held her hand out just touching the edges of the projection and it zoomed in on their location.

“Old and outdated,” Vaako agreed, studying the image, “but remarkably detailed. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“It puts Necromonger maps to shame, that’s for sure,” Nyoka said. She tapped the device again and the image disappeared. She picked it up and turned it over. “And look at this.”

Vaako leaned closer to see what she was pointing at. There was a symbol on the bottom of the device. “That looks like the symbol Kirk and McCoy had on their uniforms.”

“Definitely worth taking to Khan,” she said with a grin. “Maybe he’ll know how to operate it.” She looked around at the Archive room. “I can’t believe he got us access to the Elemental Archives so quickly, we only spoke about it this morning.”

“I think that has more to do with the Elementals belief that knowledge is for all, we’re just lucky they don’t have any rules for outsiders since none ever visited their archives before. Though they probably couldn’t say no to Khan’s honored guests either.” Vaako looked back at the map he had been studying and pointed. “This is where we picked up Riddick and Khan.” He traced a line. “This is where we were when we escaped the Armada.”

Nyoka moved closer, her body pressing against him. “I believe this is where the Elementals picked us up,” she said pointing.

Vaako nodded. “Assuming that they chased us for a while between here and here they could’ve veered off course to head for the Threshold anywhere in this area.”

“If that’s true then it won’t matter much on time frame, unless Krone decided to make a few stops along the way. He was always bitching about not getting enough new converts.”

Vaako frowned at the map. “Even if he doesn’t and tries to go to the Threshold with no further delays, like us, he’s never been there before. So, he would have to find one of the hidden navigational markers left by Oltovm. If I remember Oltovm’s instructions correctly there should be one around here, that’s at least two or more weeks from the Armada’s location when we escaped.”

Nyoka sighed. “Khan is right, we will need some sort of communications network to keep track of the bastard’s movements or at least know when he reappears in charted space. We can’t let him catch us unawares.” At her last words, her hand trailed to her stomach protectively.

Vaako stared at her hand. It had been an unconscious thing that his wife had done almost constantly since they found out she was pregnant. He still hadn’t wrapped his head around the fact that he was going to be a father but he already knew, without a doubt, that he’d do anything to protect his wife and unborn child. “And with all these unknown variables we’ll have to move fast if we are to create this network,” he said, dragging his attention back to the matter at hand. “Once Krone finds the marker he’ll know where to go next while we’re only guessing. Without the Necropolis we can’t activate the markers for ourselves, even if we found them.”

“You told Khan five or six months there and back.” 

“And that was my best guess based on what I know. We should take all this to Khan and let him know what we’ve found so far.”

Nyoka pursed her lips. “We haven’t found much.”

“Riddick might know something too. He was Lord Marshal so he might’ve picked up something, even if unintentionally, and he’s been to a lot of places as an outlaw. Khan has a mind sharper than any blade...maybe he’ll see something we’re missing.”

Vaako gathered the maps he thought most useful in his arms while Nyoka grabbed the little device she’d found. They were stopped at the Archive exit but only long enough for the staff to log what they were borrowing before they were allowed to be on their way. They got a few curious looks, usually followed by a smile or greeting on their way to Khan’s tower but no one stopped or questioned them. 

Once in the lift, Nyoka let out a sigh. “These do-gooders make me more nervous than any scheming Necromonger ever did,” she hissed, her hand hovering over her stomach once again.

Vaako leaned in and kissed her temple gently. “That’s because friendliness among Necromongers always meant a stab in the back was to follow. It’s a natural reaction to have.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.”

The lift doors opened directly outside the door to Khan’s rooms. The servant posted there bowed at them. “Lord Vaako, Lady Nyoka,” the man greeted them and pressed the door chime for them. 

Floga opened the door and smiled upon seeing them. “Please, allow me to help,” she said, taking some of the tablets and maps off Vaako’s hands before leading them inside.

Khan and Riddick were standing over a large table, their heads bent over what seemed to be another holographic three dimensional representation, this one of the Elemental city below. They looked up as Vaako and Nyoka approached.

“What’s this then?” Nyoka asked, never one to hold back.

Khan crossed his arms and frowned down at the map. “Riddick is going into the city tonight,” he said and Vaako could tell that he wasn’t happy about it. “He plans to find us allies among the less than upstanding citizens of Quintessa.”

“What did the Council think of that?” Vaako asked.

“They won’t know!” This from Floga who then looked startled when everyone turned to stare at her. She fidgeted a bit then her eyes trailed to Khan and determination hardened her young features. “I will help Riddick leave the palace undetected.”

Nyoka walked over to the girl and wrapped an arm around her. “I knew there was a reason I liked you,” she said and beamed at the girl.

Vaako grinned and shook his head, that girl was done for, Nyoka had her wrapped around her little finger with just a few words. He turned his attention to Riddick. “And once you find these...people, how will you convince them to help?”

Riddick shrugged. “The objective is to convince them to meet with this sexy Beastie first. He can handle the negotiating from there.”

Nyoka strolled over with Floga in tow. “Well, that makes more sense,” she said sliding in next to Khan. “No offence, _sexy_ , but the only one who finds Riddick charming is you.”

Surprisingly Vaako felt no jealousy now when Nyoka flirted with Khan. For one thing, he could tell that she mainly did it to make Khan blush, an understandable thrill since Khan was always so in control of his reactions. And for another, Khan only had eyes for Riddick, even though he was obviously fond of Nyoka.

The Augment smirked. “Charming is not the word I would use,” he said and winked at her. “What is that you have there?”

Nyoka looked down at the device still in her hand. “Oh,” she said, “I nearly forgot. I found this buried in the Elemental Archives.” She handed it over to Khan who turned it over in his hands and frowned. “Yes, looks like something from your past.”

Khan humed. “A Starfleet logo,” he said and turned off the map he and Riddick had been studying to place the device on the table and activate it. “They had these at Section 31 but this one seems more advanced.” With a few precise movements, he zoomed out, studied the galaxy display, then zoomed in on a location too far away to seem of any interest to them. “Earth,” Khan simply said, wrapping his hand around the holographic planet and pulling it out so it stood alone above the rest of the projection.

They all crowded around the Augment to take a look. Vaako didn’t know what he was expecting to see, at the word Earth his heart thumped in his chest, but it was just another planet like so many out there. Like the one they were on now, and yet this was the planet of origin.

“It was an ugly place when I left it the first time,” Khan finally went on. “Wars, diseases, draughts...yet they somehow turned it all around during the three hundred years I was asleep. In part, from what I understand, thanks to the Vulcans.” He looked at Vaako. “You probably have some Vulcan roots.”

Vaako’s curiosity was piqued. “Where is Vulcan located?”

Khan shrugged. “The planet was destroyed a year before I was found and reanimated.”

Vaako frowned, he didn’t know why that made him feel regret, until today he hadn’t known of Vulcan’s existence. “Do you think Earth is still there?”

Another shrug from the Augment. “I’ve been reading Joaquin's journal but so far there’s no indication of what happened to Earth or why you all ended up out here.” Abruptly Khan flicked earth back into the display and zoomed out again. “Where are we located now?”

Nyoka held her hand out like she did in the Archive and the map zoomed in on their location. “It seems to be set to go to its current location,” she said and stepped back.

Khan nodded and looked at Vaako. “Did you map out where we last saw the Necromongers and what route they might follow?”

Vaako picked the map that best showed their area of interest and placed the scroll on the table next to Nyoka’s device. The flexible display lid up as he pulled it out of the scroll and the locations he had shown Nyoka earlier blinked in red. The map had saved his ‘notes’. “This is where we picked you up,” he explained quickly, “and this is where we escaped. If memory serves right they will head here first, where a navigational marker leading to the Threshold is hidden. Unfortunately, all the maps we’ve found don’t go as far as I believe the Threshold to be, probably because space there is treacherous unless you know how to navigate it, so it’s been mostly left uncharted.”

“So they’ll have to come out the same way they went in,” Khan said and turned back to the more interactive map. Vaako was impressed, it took Khan seconds to backtrack from their location to where they escaped the Armada and then to the navigational marker area. “I assume this marker would lead them to another and then another?”

“You assume correctly,” Vaako confirms. “A precaution Lord Marshal Oltovm put in place so no one can know the Threshold’s exact location unless they travel all the way there following these markers. Even the Lord Marshals only know the location of the first few, that is until they undertake the pilgrimage to the Threshold.”

“Plot twist,” Riddick spoke up. “You can only activate these markers from the Necropolis.”

Khan sighed. “Then the Threshold will have to wait until we defeat the Necromongers. Which is the furthest navigational marker you know of?”

  
  


*******

  
  


As Riddick had suspected, once the lights went out the scumbags crawled out of their daylight holes to roam the streets. He pulled his hood higher, since even among these people his eyes would get him unwanted attention, and kept walking. He came across drug dealers and other kinds of pleasure dealers but these were not the types he wanted. He was looking for a more specialized group.

In the end, it hadn’t been all that hard to find the city’s underbelly. And his eyes caught sight of another hooded figure looking around suspiciously before making a beeline for a dark alley. The man hadn’t spotted Riddick watching him from the dark and Riddick had no trouble tracking him down the alley. He saw the man pause and scan the alley before lifting a grate and slipping inside. Riddick cautiously moved closer but stayed out of view in case the man was looking up through the grate. A wise move, as it turned out, because the man was doing just that, taking a few moments to make sure he wasn’t followed before Riddick heard his footfalls moving off. These were the people he was looking for.

Riddick waited until he couldn’t hear the man’s footfalls, then waited some more before lifting the grate and dropping down himself. He’d thought he would end up in a sewer of some sort but was pleased to find that was not the case. Not having to wade through shit was always a plus. He threw his hood back and looked around. He was standing on some kind of ledge and as he moved to the edge he saw rails below. So, he was in some sort of an abandoned, underground, railroad system. Interesting.

He headed in the direction he heard the footfalls fade towards. He had walked almost half a mile when he finally heard human sounds and saw light ahead. He pulled his goggles over his eyes and lifted his hood back up as he approached. Riddick resisted the urge to laugh when he realized what he was looking at. The place must’ve been a market or storage area back when the railroad was still functioning and these people had turned it into an underground city. There were rows of stalls on the wide platform with merchants selling goods that were probably not available anywhere else. Behind those were buildings offering services of any kind and for any tastes. Riddick headed towards one that appeared to be a food and booze dive. 

Other than a few curious glances when he stepped in, no one paid him much attention. The people in this establishment were exactly the kind of people Riddick came here to find. 

He spotted a table in a dark corner and headed for it. He sat with his back to the wall so he could watch the room and leaned back so that the shadow of a column further concealed his face in darkness. Two burly men who sat on the table next to his gave him long searching stares until Riddick gave them a curt nod. One was an older man, with a bushy beard and shaved head, the other was his younger version, his beard short and well trimmed. The server or owner came by to take Riddick’s order and he paid the man with the currency Floga had provided for him. By the time the man returned with his drink, Riddick was just part of the scenery. A moment later the door opened up and another man walked in. He looked around and made his way to the two men next to Riddick. The other two at the table greeted the newcomer with somber nods.

“Is what I’m hearing true?” The man asked, waving the serving man over. “Is he really here?”

“I take it you missed the parade then,” the older man grumbled. “They had his face plastered on every damn screen in the city.”

“I just got back. Security was tighter than my asshole and my contact was freaking out about getting caught. He refused to buy my fucking merch. Came here to see if I’ll have better luck,” the third man grumbled. He looked at the other two with narrowed eyes. “Was it really him though?”

“It looked like him,” the younger man said. “Looks nearly identical to that statue at the palace. Expected him to be bigger though.”

Riddick lowered his head as he grinned. It seemed like he had picked the right place and table. Petty thieves and drug dealers had their uses but for war, smugglers are what you needed. They not only had ships of their own, they also knew the ins and outs of most planets. The men fell silent as the server brought over another of the establishment's foul tasting ales. The man paid him and drank half of it before the server even turned away.

“This is going to be fucking bad for business,” he said, slamming the pint on the table. “It can’t be him. They probably found some poor bugger that looks like him that they can puppet master. Mark my words, they are up to something. They’re losing their grip on the people. They can see that the numbers against this passive isolationist bullshit are growing and now all of a sudden, Khan miraculously shows up?”

“Actually,” the younger one said, glancing at the older one, who Riddick assumes is his father, for approval. “Our contact in the palace says that _he_ is pushing for a war with the Necromongers. And get this, he has two former Necromongers with him, one who was an Aquilan convert and one who was a Furyan convert. He even has Riddick with him.”

“Riddick?” the third man said, raising his eyebrows. “Wasn’t he killed?”

“Apparently not,” the older one puts in. “Nine lives that one.” 

The newcomer eyed the other two sceptically. “I hear he’s an Alpha Furyan, which explains a lot about the bastard.”

The other two nod, then the older one speaks again. “Here’s the kick, he and Khan were brought here by Aereon.”

Riddick’s ears perked up and the mention of his name. He knew he was infamous in a lot of worlds but not to this extent. The part about Aereon however really caught his attention. What was Aereon’s significance to these people? 

The newcomer’s features pulled back in surprise and he then slammed his fist on the table. “Then it really is him!”

“Yeah,” the younger man grumbled. “But the Council probably dug its claws into him by now. Besides, nothing guarantees us that his coming here will change anything.”

Riddick leaned forward and removed his goggles. “And what changes are you looking for, exactly?”

Three pairs of eyes turned to glare at him before going saucer wide as the light hit and reflected on his.

“Riddick!” the older one managed to gasp.

Riddick grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took me so long to post. Life has been getting to me but my dear friend LiteraryHedonism has inspired me to write again. Thank you :)
> 
> I hope you'll all enjoy this chapter. I made it a bit longer than my usual to make up for making you wait. As always, thank you so much for your support and I'm looking forward to any comments. :)
> 
> Another chapter for the Augment Project is also coming soon!
> 
> Stay safe! <3


	8. Chapter 8

Nyoka watched as her husband and Floga played another round of what the girl called three dimensional chess. According to Floga, it was a favorite game among Aquilans and Vaako had been curious enough to give it a try. A couple of hours later and they were both still immersed in the game.

Nyoka herself found the game to be rather interesting, all the patterns and thinking ahead was definitely a game she could sink her teeth in, but her focus kept drifting to Khan. Once Floga had helped Riddick sneak out of the palace, they had all decided to stay and keep Khan company. The Augment had graciously allowed them to stay, making it seem like he’d be fine either way, but he couldn’t fool her. Nyoka had sensed how grateful he had been to have them around. Every time one of them spoke his worry was forgotten for just a moment as his attention drifted to them. 

However, his constant worrying was like a persistent tug on her mind, though you wouldn’t know it by looking at the man. He appeared relaxed, the way he slouched on the sofa, with that sleepy expression on his face, but it was all a facade. She rose from her chair, strolled over to him and gracefully sat herself at his side. “He’ll be fine,” she said, for his ears only. “If Necromonger assassins weren’t able to get him, no one down there will.”

His eyes drifted to hers and a slow smile appeared on his lips. “You’re really bad at comforting,” he said and his smile grew a bit more.

“Comforting?” she said with a huff. “I would never do something so basic. I’m just giving you the facts. That’s one tough bastard to kill, believe me, we tried.”

Khan chuckled softly and sat up a bit straighter. “And how many of those attempts were your doing?”

“A lady doesn’t plot and tell.” Nyoka tutted.

Khan’s sudden burst of laughter startled Floga and Vaako from their game. They looked over at them with twin expressions of surprise. A subtle signal from Nyoka and Vaako was drawing the girl back into the game. Their attention, however, no matter how short lived, was enough to cause Khan to retreat back into himself once more. Nyoka sighed quietly. _We’re all a little broken in different ways_ , she thought, looking at Vaako’s frown as he planned his next move, a stark contrast to his opponent’s cheerful expression. Herself, afraid to admit to trying to be nice for a friend, deflecting with dark jokes. And Khan, who knew what was broken inside him to be so afraid to show anything he perceived as a weakness.

“I used to laugh a lot,” Khan said suddenly, surprising her. “My closest siblings and I would spend many nights like this together. Playing games, teasing, laughing.” He fell silent again, but she could sense how sad he was and a deep seeded fear.

“What happened?” she prompted.

He glanced at her and quickly looked away. “The war came. I saved who I could but so many perished, then Marcus came and I lost even more. I couldn’t protect them. Now there’s another war coming and this,” he gestured at all of them, “won’t last.”

Nyoka took his hand in hers and stood up. “Come on,” she said, pulling at him until he got up with a curious frown. She led him out onto the balcony and they looked down at the city. “That only exists because you saved enough. Well, I assume, I heard stories,” she said and Khan smiled. “It’s not your fault that we fucked up, it wasn’t your fault a war started or that Marcus prick did what he did. I’m sorry to tell you, but you’re not a god.” She studied his profile for a moment. “No matter how gorgeous you are.”

Khan let out a startled laugh. “You really are bad at this.”

“Or really good,” she said and hip-bumped him. They shared a laugh before a comfortable silence fell over them. Something about this man made her feel like she was back at her childhood home, on that little porch looking at stars with her brother. “Even if this doesn’t last, the memories will, and it's been such a long time since I’ve had good memories. Also,” she said and smirked. “I’ve been practicing my new empathy skills, and you and Riddick are the only ones around I can practice on.” She let her voice trail off meaningfully.

Khan leaned on the railing and groaned.

“That’s exactly how I imagine you sound!” she teased.

“First thing tomorrow I’m requesting that they move you to another tower,” Khan threatened but the hint of a smile played on his lips.

“Oh? Are we testing my range next?”

Khan’s chuckle was cut short as his head spun around to stare at her, a frown crinkling the skin between his brows. For a moment Nyoka thought she went too far, but he looked more surprised than angry.

“How far _can_ you sense us?” he asked.

“I only try when I have a moment alone in our room,” she said, a bit taken aback by the intensity of his question. “You said I should practice, not my fault you guys have sex every half an hour.”

Khan blushed and took a deep breath. “Nyoka, focus, forget about the sex for a moment. Do you think you could try and sense Riddick now? From here?”

“Oh, I’ve never tried from this far, but no harm in trying,” she said and smiled. She turned towards the city and closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind. “Calm yourself,” she snapped at Khan, swatting his arm. “I won’t be able to sense anything with you biting your nails next to me.”

“Sorry,” Khan mumbled and his emotions dampened to a barely perceivable hum to her senses.

She would have to ask him to teach her that trick. She took a few deep breaths and tried to picture Riddick in her mind. His cocky grin, his deep voice, how he moved, and finally how he felt when she reached out with her newly acquired gift. “I think I sense something.” she frowned. “Amusement? Yes, I think something is amusing him right now.” She imagined herself latching onto the emotion and pulling herself closer to it when something, that she could only describe as a psychic tidal wave, swept her away.

Nyoka gasped, unable to open her eyes, she reached out to grasp the railing even as she felt her body falling back. She never hit the floor though, as strong arms lifted her up and then she lost all sense of her physical body.

_“You finally embrace who you are, sister.”_

_Nyoka found that her mouth also refused to work. “Who are you?” she thought._

_“I sensed you before, when you were burning, and guided Him to save you. I am Shirah.”_

_“When I was burning? You mean the fever? You were that woman in my vision!”_

_“You bear His mark, the first of many, to end the war once and for all. Come find us, sister.”_

As suddenly as it came the presence was gone and Nyoka found herself in Khan’s arms. “What?” she gasped confused. “What happened?”

Khan slowly and gently let her back on her feet but kept an arm wrapped around her waist. “You said Riddick was amused about something and then you just fell.”

She looked around at the balcony. “How long was I out?” She was surprised Vaako wasn’t there fussing over her.

“Seconds, you recovered as soon as I caught you.” Khan seemed more than a bit alarmed and his eyes dropped to her stomach. “Is it the baby?” he asked. 

Her hand went reflexively to her stomach. “No, baby is fine, I can sense it.” She moved to one of the chairs and sat down.

“I’ll get Vaako,” Khan said.

“No.” Nyoka grabbed Khan’s hand as he tried to go past her. “No need to worry him, I feel fine, baby’s fine. Riddick is fine too, by the way.” She tilted her head back to look up at him. “She spoke to me, the woman that helped you save me. Shirah.”

Khan grew still. “You saw Shirah?” he asked and still holding her hand, crouched down next to her. 

“Well, I didn’t see her but she spoke to me...told me her name, how she helped you save me, and to go find them.” She took a breath to clear her head. “You bear his mark, the first of many, to end the war once and for all. Come find us, sister. That’s what she said and I got the sense that she’s very, very far away. How is that even possible?”

“Riddick had an interesting chat with Aereon back on the ship. It seems that some Furyan’s are born with empathic and telepathic abilities so strong that they can reach out to others from great distances. We believe this Shirah is one of them.” He held her eyes with his own. “I don’t know much about these abilities, but I think you sensing Riddick from here is also impressive. Perhaps you are the key to finding Furya.”

***

“Riddick!” the older of the smugglers managed to gasp.

Riddick grinned, stood, and threw back his hood. “The bastard with nine lives himself,” he said and approached their table. He pulled a chair from his own table and sat down with them. “So, what changes are you boys looking for?”

The men stared at him for a long moment then exchanged nervous glances. The younger one leaned in a bit. “Are you really here with...him?” He took in a sharp breath and looked around. “Is he here?”

“The Emperor is at the palace,” Riddick said and saw the men shift slightly in their seats. “He has a war to prepare for, as your contact at the palace already informed you.”

There was another exchange of nervous looks between the men. The older one leaned back, his expression one of guarded interest. “So it’s true? He wants to fight the Necromongers?”

“He wants to wipe them out, once and for all,” Riddick said.

“That’s ambitious of him,” the newcomer said. “Necros been wiping out whole systems of planets for decades, whole civilizations gone in a single day. We all heard the stories, that he’s supposed to be some kind of god-like figure, but let's be realistic here, those are just stories. He might be some great warrior from the past but not even the Aquilian Security Corp was able to stop them. What makes you think Khan can stop them?”

Riddick pinned the man with his eyes. “Khan doesn’t plan to stop them here, he plans to hunt them down and strike first. Why wait for them to come here? By then your families, your people are already in danger and in the way.”

“No one has been able to do that. The Necromongers are untraceable.”

“Khan has inside knowledge. I guess your spy missed the part where the two former Necromongers, who are now with him and fiercely loyal to him, were the Lord Marshal and his Lady.” Riddick said and let that sink in for a moment. “He already knows the Armada’s next move. The Aquilans didn’t have that.”

The man glanced at his companions. “If that’s true, then there might be a chance.”

“Name’s Steinn,” the older man suddenly said. “This is my son, Kruus and…” he trailed off and looked at the newcomer. You didn’t give a fellow smuggler’s name without their permission. Steinn was taking a big risk.

The third man frowned. “Brann.”

“I was there,” Kruss jumped in excitedly. “When you got off Aereon’s ship. I thought that was you, kissing his hand. Are you and the Emperor...?”

“Kruus,” his father warned. “Now’s not the time.”

Riddick winked at the young man before turning his attention to Steinn. He didn’t miss Kruss’s casual mention of Aereon’s name though. “Now that we all know who’s who, you didn’t answer my question.”

Steinn crossed his arms, this was a cautious man, not surprising considering his line of work. “Why are you here, Riddick? Why aren’t you up at the palace with the Emperor, planning his great war?”

“Because,” Riddick said and smirked at the man. “He sent me here to find people that don’t smell like flowers and indecision. People who have the guts to do what it takes and claim their own fate. Am I in the wrong place, old man?”

“What would Khan want with a couple of smugglers?” Brann asked.

“Haven’t you been listening, Brann?” Steinn said and gave Riddick a lopsided grin. “Our Lord is already sick of the Council dragging its feet. There are stories about him being all noble and self-sacrificing but then there’s the other stories, the ones that say he was ruthless.”

Riddick chuckled. “He is noble and self-sacrificing, for the right people and ruthless when needed. He won’t stand by and let the Necros catch us with our pants down because the Council hopes they’ll kill everyone else first and leave you for last. He is pissed at the Council for twitling its thumbs when Furya and Aquila were attacked. To him, we are all his people, his family, but he is one man, he needs an army and the support of the people.”

Steinn nodded and Riddick could tell the man was liking what he was hearing. “An army that isn’t under the Council’s thumb? At least his first move since arriving here is an intelligent one but, no offence, we’d like to hear it from him. We’re done with rulers in high towers giving us empty promises. If we’re going to support him, we want to meet him first, hear his plan, and if we win this war, we’ll want changes.”

“I figured as much,” Riddick said and put his goggles back on. “But first you need to meet with the others and pick your leaders, you can’t expect him to come down and shake every smuggler’s hand. Once you decide who will be meeting with him, I’ll arrange it. I assume your little palace spy can deliver a message.” 

“They won’t reveal who they are,” Steinn said. “At least not yet, but a message will be delivered.”

So the man was willing to take risks but was still cautious about risking others, Khan would like him, Riddick thought. He briefly considered finding a way to bring Aereon into their conversation but quickly dismissed the idea. He would tell Khan what he heard, and let him decide how to handle that. “Do it fast and discreetly,” Riddick told them as he pulled up his hood and got up. “Necros are on the move with a new Lord Marshal, worse than any before him.”

“I was at Helion Prime when they attacked,” Steinn said. “I know why those Conquest Icons of theirs didn’t go off and wipe us all out, Riddick. I’ve also seen the aftermath on planets where they did go off on. You’ll have our answer in a couple of days.”

Riddick nodded and left knowing that Steinn would do anything to get a meeting between the smuggler leaders and Khan. He also had the distinct feeling that if he hadn’t gone looking for them, they’d eventually come looking for Khan themselves. 

He made his way back to the surface, blending in with the shadows of the city above. He took his time, familiarizing himself with the streets between the smugglers underground den and the palace. Most of the night walkers had already gone about their business, or retreated to their preferred holes, so the streets were mostly quiet. He paused under the shadow of a tall building and looked ahead at the palace. He smiled when he saw that the light at the top of the fifth tower was still on. It was time for him to return home.

***

Khan hadn’t been expecting Riddick to be successful with his plan so soon but the big guy seemed confident that he’d found the right people. The kind of people who would begin the chain reaction they needed among the population of Quintessa. Provided that Khan could then convince them to help.

“And you told them I’m the Emperor?” Khan asked, surprised. “A bit premature, don’t you think?”

“They didn’t disagree,” Riddick said with a smirk. “In fact, they were quick to name you so themselves.”

“It’s true, my Lord,” Floga cut in. “In the minds of many you are the Emperor, you’ve always been. Our stories speak of the Emperor’s return.”

Khan felt both gratified and worried by the reveal. No wonder the Council is so wary of him. “As I’ve said before, ruling and leading are two very different things. I have no desire to rule. At least not as a supreme ruler. The goal now is for me to lead a war, not overthrow the Council, we will need their support as well.”

“So don’t overthrow them,” Riddick said. “Just light a fire under their asses.”

“Riddick is right,” Nyoka chimed in. “Let the people call you Emperor, it will only make you appear reasonable when you show them you’re willing to work with the Council.”

“Though you should be careful about how you present your new alliance to them,” Vaako added. “Don’t want them to think you’re staging a coup.”

Khan nodded and turned to Floga, as expected the girl seemed uncomfortable. “Councilor Lasair is your grandmother, correct?”

“Yes, my Lord,” the girl said and looked around at everyone. “It’s not my place to say this, but not everyone on the council opposes you, my Lord. However, showing their support openly has its own risks.”

“It is your place to say, Floga, you are in my service now and I did ask you to act as one of my advisors.”

“A-advisor, my Lord?” 

“I thought I was being clear when I asked you to escort me to meetings and give me your thoughts and impressions after? That’s what advisors do, they analyze situations and advise. Everyone here is my advisor.”

She again looked at everyone around her as the importance of her new position dawned on her. “I’m deeply honored, my Lord.”

“So what’s the deal with the Council?” Nyoka pressed.

Floga shifted in her seat. “Only members of the nobility can become members of the council. It has been that way since we settled on this planet. It seemed logical at the time, but in recent years things have begun to change.”

“How so?” Khan asked.

“People have started to question if the gifted should be the only ones allowed to sit on the Council, since the ungifted outnumber them so greatly. That sentiment intensified when we learned of the Necromonger threat. The people now blame the Council and its enforcement of the non-interference rules for the loss of our cousins, the Furyans, and the Aquilans. Our relationships with our cousins broke down a long time ago, of course, but when news came of the Necromonger attack on Furya and then Aquila Major and our Council did nothing...it fueled those who are against this isolationist way of life.”

“So nobility is based on whether you are gifted, and the council is composed of these gifted nobles who represent the elements,” Nyoka summarised.

“Not exactly,” Floga said. “My other grandmother, Aereon, isn’t a noble. Though she was born gifted, her family was not. So, even though she is one of our most gifted air elementals she could never take a seat on the council.”

Khan could see that that bothered the girl deeply. It seemed like they had stumbled on a long, if quiet, feud within the Elemental social ranks. “But you are a noble?”

“Only because Aereon married a noble, my grandfather, a great scandal at the time, and my other two grandparents are nobles as well.”

Khan turned his back on them as he considered all that he learned today. It seemed that the balance the Elementals were so keen on keeping was very close to tipping, even before his arrival. All he’d have to do was nudge the right side of the scale. First, he needed to see where Aereon fit into all this, though he had a good guess on that.

“It’s late,” he told them, turning back to face them. “You should all go to your rooms and get some rest. Floga, please invite Aereon to have breakfast with me and Riddick tomorrow. I will see the rest of you after.”

Nyoka made a face of disapproval, probably not keen on being left out of the loop, but she was the first to rise. “Goodnight, my Lord,” she said and curtsied. The others rose and bowed, following Nyoka out of Khan’s rooms.

Khan walked to the balcony and looked out over the city. “Tell me,” he told Riddick, who had followed and waited behind him.

“Picked up on that, did you?” Riddick said with amusement in his voice. “Aereon’s name was mentioned in their discussion, it's what convinced them that you are really you. Thought I should leave that out while Floga was here.”

Khan turned his head to look at Riddick from the corner of his eye. “So, they trust Aereon. That speaks of ties between them.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Riddick confirmed. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that there’s a movement at work here, which you stumbled on tonight, and that the Council’s days were numbered even before we arrived.”

“And they’ve been waiting for you to appear to make their move. I did get the feeling that if we hadn’t gone looking for them they’d come looking for us.”

Khan turned and looked at Riddick before he began pacing. Moving helped clear his mind and he had a lot to think on. He should really find a place to begin exercising again. “I believe you’re right and I also have the feeling that Aereon is not only involved with them but also a kind of leader.”

“At least now you know before you meet with her tomorrow. Are you going to confront her?”

Khan stopped pacing. “Yes, I’m done with Elemental games.” He went to begin pacing again and stopped as his mind sped up to something else that happened that night. “There’s something more,” he said. “While you were down in the city, Shirah made contact with Nyoka.”

***

Riddick stretched in bed, knowing he had it all to himself before he even opened his eyes. They had agreed to attempt sleeping for a couple of hours last night, but Khan was still fuming when they went to bed. It was no surprise that he had sneaked out of bed as soon as Riddick slept.

He sat on the edge and yawned wondering what it was that woke him this early after the long night he’d had. Then he heard it. The murmur of lowered voices outside the room, a moment later he registered the smell of food and his stomach grumbled. He stood just as the door opened and Khan walked in.

“Good morning,” the younger man said with a faint smile while removing his robe and tossing it on the bed. “Breakfast is here and Aereon is on her way. Better get dressed.”

Riddick watched as Khan’s bare ass disappeared into their walk-in closet. He held back a growl and followed. “On her way from?” he asked, trying to sound casual.

Khan turned, his clothes of choice in his hands. His eyes slowly lowered to Riddick’s reason for asking. “From not nearly far enough,” he said and grabbed one of Riddick’s new trousers, tossing it at him. “Cover that up.”

Riddick chuckled and left the Beastie alone in the closet to get dressed. He pulled on his trousers and boots then went back in for a shirt as Khan rushed out all dressed to perfection in mere seconds. He could sense the younger man’s determination to get things rolling no matter what. Unlike Riddick who enjoyed the slow moments, Khan got restless when he had nothing to do.

When Riddick stepped out of the room, breakfast had been served on the balcony and the servants were already gone. Khan sat on his preferred chair listening to Floga as the young girl attempted to set up a program for the day. 

“It’s on the second floor. The room was meant to host feasts and other events but it's never been used, since this tower had no Lord, until now.”

Khan nodded, his eyes tracking Riddick as he made his way to his own seat. “Have them clear it out. I don’t plan on hosting any celebrations until this war is over, might as well put that room to some good use. I assume finding some sort of exercising equipment might be possible?”

“Yes, my Lord,” Floga said and smiled at Riddick. “Good morning, Lord Riddick.”

“Don’t go Lording me, little one,” Riddick said with some amusement. “Riddick is fine.”

“In private,” Khan added, giving Riddick a sidelong glance. “I prefer formalities kept when we’re in public or have guests over.”

Riddick shrugged. “If that’s what His Imperial Majesty demands.” He smirked when Khan gave him another, more stern, glance. Then Khan’s eyes fell on Floga who was struggling not to smile.

“Alright you two,” Khan said, a faint smile playing on his own lips. “You bonded enough, Aereon is here. Floga, would you mind?”

“Yes, my Lord,” Floga said and turned.

“And Floga,” Khan called after her. “Once you let Lady Aereon in, see what you can do about what we discussed earlier.”

The girl’s disappointment at her tactful dismissal was obvious, but she bowed deeply and went to open the door. They heard the door open followed by the low murmurs of the girl and grandmother greeting each other.

“I thought you wanted the little spitfire present for all your meetings?” Riddick asked.

“Yes,” Khan said, “but there’s a conflict of interest here and there’s no need to put her on the spot until we know more.”

Riddick frowned. He’d thought Khan would want to test Floga’s loyalties, but it seemed his Beastie had taken a genuine liking to the girl. In a way, Riddick was happy for him, Khan was claiming his family back bit by bit. He wondered where he’d fit in, he’d been more comfortable last night among those smugglers than he’d been among these palace people. He was curious to see what Khan would think of them.

Khan leaned closer and touched his hand. “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice gentle and a bit worried.

For the first time, Riddick wished he could block the Bond at will too. “Peachy,” he said and smiled just before Aereon made her appearance in the balcony’s door frame.

Aereon looked at Khan and gave him a deep curtsy. “Good morning, my Lord. Thank you for inviting me.”

Khan nodded graciously and waved his hand to one of the chairs. “Good morning, Lady Aereon.”

Aereon sat, brushed her hands over her dress, and smiled at Riddick. “ _Lord_ Riddick,” she said with a little smirk.

“ _Lady_ Aereon,” Riddick responded with a smirk on his own. They both looked at Khan who was watching them with narrowed eyes.

“The nobility titles are very…” Aereon began and smiled apologetically. “Particular, here my Lord.”

Khan was not amused. “And an insult to your ancestors. You have statues of Suzette and Joaquin right outside this palace, yet by your standards, they would not even be considered nobles. Neither am I.”

“Not my standards, my Lord, but I see your point,” Aereon said calmly. “And no one would dare question your position.”

Riddick looked at the food longingly and resisted the urge to sigh. The Beastie was on the hunt and breakfast would have to wait. “Are you sure about that?” Riddick asked Aereon. “They seemed rather questioning to me.”

Aereon’s eyebrows rose. “I sometimes forget you were raised away from any of the Elder races. It’s been drilled into us, down the generations, who we have to thank for our existence. Only the Austeres, now known as Necromongers, strayed from those teachings in favor of...a god.” She made a face like she bit down on a lemon at the last word. “The Council’s bravado back on the ship and at the feast later was just a weak attempt at asserting their own authority.”

Riddick glanced at Khan and got a crisp nod. “There are rumors that the Council will attempt to puppetmaster Khan. That he might not even be the real Khan.”

There was a twinkle of amusement in Aereon’s eyes. “I hear someone set those rumors straight.”

Riddick exchanged another glance with Khan. He could feel a wave of confusion and annoyance coming from the younger man, the confusion at least was shared. “So,” Riddick began cautiously when Khan just stared at Aereon. “You’re the palace spy.”

“No,” Khan said before Aereon could reply. “She’s the spider at the center of the web.”

“A loyal spider, weaving a web that ensured your being here today, my Lord. Though I admit that you surprised me. I didn’t expect you to move this fast but then again, the stories always spoke of how sharp your mind is.” She reached out and picked up a pot, pouring herself some tea. “I found Riddick, all those years ago and I made sure he slowed down the Necromongers. I kept a weather eye for temporal anomalies and set off to meet with you and bring you here... and yes, I prepared the ground, here on Quintessa, for decades.”

“Then why all this secrecy?” Khan asked.

She smiled and sipped her tea before answering. “I’m an Elemental. I calculated the odds, the balance was delicate. If you acted too soon, the odds were fifty-fifty, I couldn’t risk it.” She put the cup down and looked Khan straight in the eyes. “If you knew, back on the ship, the power you could hold here, would you have acted the same towards the Council? You were already cocky as it were.” Khan’s mouth opened and closed without a sound. “The power to sway the people is with you, but now you see that you’ll also need the Council. Like it or not, gifted Elementals can be very useful for a war such as the one you plan to lead.”

“And as a...non-gifted myself, the people are more likely to accept me,” Khan added.

Aereon waved a hand dismissively. “Humility doesn’t suit you, my Lord,” she said and grinned. “You might not have Elemental powers but you are far from ungifted. The people will accept you because it was always meant to be you. The Council members are just regents to your throne. Perhaps it’s time to remind them of that. Show them that while they are gifted, you are the fifth Element.”

Riddick leaned back, crossed his arms, and chuckled quietly. “The Groundless Ground, pure Existence itself. Existence devoid of any content. The only thing you lot take on faith. You want him to perform a miracle, that it?” At Khan’s confused frown he went on. “She wants you to fix the babies issue and prove once and for all that you are this fifth element. Seems to me that saving their race will earn you that throne, even with the Council.”

Aereon nodded. “Khan Noonien Singh always existed in our lives, even without really being here, and now that you are here, you just might be the key to our continued existence. It all fits together rather nicely, don’t you think?”

“If it works,” Khan said, his voice not giving away anything. “I’ll need access to a lab first, somewhere I can work without people spying and speculating over my every move.”

“I have just the place,” Aereon said and smiled. “And the odds are good that it will work. Nyoka’s pregnancy is proof of that.”

Khan nodded. “Perhaps.” He stared at Aereon for a long moment. “Who is the spy?”

“The young man outside your door,” Aereon answered nonchalantly. “One of the women serving your meals. It’s amusing, how unnoticed the ungifted can be.”

Khan sighed. “And Floga?”

“No. Floga is a sweet and loyal girl but not suited for such things. She’s too honest. I would be grateful if you kept her out of this, at least for now.”

“Floga is under my protection,” Khan said, not really giving her an answer.

Aereon nodded, and smart woman that she was, she didn’t push the matter further. “I also have an answer for you. You will be meeting with the smuggler leaders in three nights. They will give us the location on the day of the meeting.”

“Very well,” Khan said and finally reached for a piece of bread and that butter-like cream Floga had introduced them to. “I will expect your spy network to be known to me by the end of the day.” He looked at Aereon with a steady gaze that allowed no arguments.

“Of course, my Lord, they are yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> Slowly building up to it :)   
> Thank you to everyone that left me comments/kudos, really appreciate it, and a special thank you to LiteraryHedonism for all their help! You are a rockstar!
> 
> Be safe everyone! <3


	9. Chapter 9

“My Lord Khan, we understand your concerns but what you propose is…” The pause in Councilor Beinn’s speech was all Khan needed to know he was about to be politely insulted. “Unachievable to say the least. You are new to this century so we understand that you don’t yet grasp the limits of-”

Khan raised a hand, cutting the man’s next words short. “We’ve been through this before, Councilor, do not presume to tell me what I can and cannot grasp.”

“I meant no insult,” Beinn said. “I only wished to point out the limitations of our forces. You wish to send our fleet to the edge of known space to intentionally seek out the Necromongers and then engage them in battle.”

“And you would rather wait for them to come to you? Think of the civilian losses if this battle were to be fought here.”

Councilor N'garu leaned forward. “We are, My Lord. A combination of our planetary defences and our fleet might have a chance of at least slowing them down enough so that we can evacuate as many civilians as we can. Maybe even defeat them, if you wish to be overly optimistic, but the Necromonger Armada is too powerful. If our fleet engages them out there, and is defeated, then the planet will be completely defenceless. What of our civilians then?” 

“Listen to the two of you!” Councilor Udara burst out. “You are already defeated! You might as well pack up and go now.”

“Let us not argue among ourselves,” Councilor Lasair’s calm voice overlapped any objections from the other Council members. “We are here to discuss possibilities. There is no question that the Necromongers are on the move again, resuming their previous mission of destroying all life in the galaxy. Our Everstean computers agree that Quintessa, as the last stronghold of the Elder Races, will be their next target.” She locked eyes with Khan. “It is unfortunately true that our forces are not powerful enough to defeat them.”

“Your arrival here has given the people hope,” Councilor Beinn said. “A hope that can be dangerous to our survival.” He placed his hands on the table and leaned forward, his eyes held a hint of desperation. “But if we tell them to prepare for evacuation instead, with you supporting us in this decision, they will listen, and we might have a chance to rebuild somewhere else.”

Khan shook his head. “Run now and you’ll be running forever. What you are suggesting could work if it was your planet they were after, but they’re not. It’s your lives they want and they will keep hunting you until they kill all of you.”

“Still,” Councilor N'garu said. “That doesn’t change the fact that we are no match for them. The odds are still better if we were to make a stand here and save who we can.”

“Perhaps the odds would change if we actually listened to what the Lord is suggesting,” Councilor Udara said firmly. “Please, my Lord, continue.”

Khan nodded his thanks at the spirited elder. “As Councilor Beinn enjoys pointing out, I’m not of this century, I’m from a time long past, which is why I’m so very unimpressed by what I’ve seen so far.” He allowed a small pause, looking steadily into each Councilor's eyes before he continued. “You might be forward in time but your technology would’ve been laughable in the twenty third century. I’ve seen cargo ships with better capabilities than what you have.” An exaggeration but he was trying to make a point. “When I was awakened in the twenty third century I designed a ship that was far superior than even Starfleet's flagship, in fact, it took out their flagship with ease. I can do that for your ships as well, if we stop wasting time and get to work now. We have less than a year to prepare.”

“We can’t build a new fleet in less than a year, even if what you say is true,” Councilor Beinn said.

“You won’t have to,” Khan said. “The ships I’ve seen here so far seem to have a similar design to Vulcan ships. If you allow me access to those designs and schematics I can work on modifications that will make your ships faster and more durable than any Necromonger ship. With Lord Vaako’s help I can also design weapons that will exploit the weaknesses of the Necromonger armada.”

“You don’t need permission to access those designs, my Lord,” Councilor Udara said.

Khan glanced at the others before looking at Udara with a fond smile. “I believe I do. I will need the Council’s support in this.”

“You have my support, my Lord,” Councilor Lasair said.

“And mine,” Councilor Udara added quickly.

Councilor N'garu steepled his fingers and looked at Khan for a moment. “I would be interested in reviewing your suggestions, my Lord, in this you have my support as well.”

They all looked at Councilor Beinn. The big Councilor didn’t seem too happy with this turn of events. He had been outvoted, his own vote was just a formality. “I see no harm in improving our ships,” he finally said. “The rest we can discuss again later. That is, if you can deliver these modification suggestions successfully and to our satisfaction.”

Khan pushed down his anger and stood. “Thank you, Councilors,” he said and left the meeting hall without another word. He had tried, but it was becoming very clear that in the end he might have to force the Council's hand. Beinn was too stubborn to accept that he was no longer an absolute power and N’garu liked to ride the fence and play it safe a bit too much. Khan had neither the patience nor the time for such games. 

***

Khan stared out of the tinted window at the city below as the hovercraft began to ascend further. Aereon sat quietly next to him with her hands resting on her lap while Floga, a nervous ball of energy, tried not to fidget. The meeting with the Council had set him on edge and his two companions seemed to sense it. He was not used to others challenging his authority or waiting on them so that he could act on his plans. He understood that these people had governed themselves for centuries before his arrival, but he had abandoned his life, his family, to help them. Now the Council was in his way and he found that he couldn’t accept that. He regretted leaving Riddick behind, he needed the calming effect his mate had on him and it felt like a part of him was missing, the big guy was his balance, but he couldn’t keep him at his side at all times and get things done. Their Bond did seem to be getting stronger though. Either that or they never really knew how strong it was due to always being in close proximity. They were outside the Palace grounds now, on the fringes of the city, and he could still feel Riddick as if he was right next to him. It was a small comfort to help him get through the long day ahead. At least he didn’t feel alone.

“This is Voda’s hospital,” Floga blurted as the hovercraft circled around a building to its roof and began to descend.

Khan glanced at Aereon. “Voda was the healer you had with you on the ship.”

“Indeed, my Lord,” Aereon said as the doors began to open. “She’s an old friend and devoted to you. You can trust her to keep what you do here to herself.”

The roof access to the building opened and Voda came to meet them just as they got out of the hovercraft. She bowed deeply. “Welcome, my Lord, anything you need I’m at your service.”

“It’s good to see you again, Voda,” Khan offered.

Voda rose from her bow and smiled uncertainly. “I’m glad to hear you say so, my Lord. I know that the last time we spoke I was out of line and I truly regret my assumptions on that day.”

Khan nodded. “Aereon says you have a labradory I can use?”

The lanky healer bowed again. “This way, my Lord,” she said as she rose and walked back to the building entrance. It led to a large lift that Khan guessed was for emergency patients that had to be flown in to the hospital. “I’ve been trying to find the cause of our low birthrates for years,” Voda commented once the lift doors closed and they began to descend. “My laboratory has an extensive range of medical and research equipment but if there’s something else you need I’m sure we can acquire it for you. May I ask if you had something specific in mind, my Lord?”

“Genetics,” Khan said, placing his hands behind his back. “Is your labradory equipped for such research?”

“It specializes in such research, my Lord.”

“Good,” Khan said as the doors opened again and he stepped out. He looked around and listened carefully but it seemed they had the floor to themselves. “I will need a wide range of DNA samples, male and female of various ages, related and not, can you arrange that without raising too many questions?”

“Yes, my Lord, I already have a wide range from my own research but I shall acquire new samples for you as well. Anything else?”

Khan smiled. “I’m a bit out of time, Voda, I might need your assistance with some of the equipment, at least for a while.”

Voda’s eyes widened and her smile didn’t have its previous uncertainty. “It would be my honor, my Lord.”

“We already have three samples here, of various ages at least,” Aereon pointed out. “Shall we begin?”

“If all agree to offer a sample,” Khan said, looking at Voda and Floga. They each nodded agreement eagerly. “Then begin we shall.”

Voda’s labradory exceeded Khan’s expectations and though most of the equipment was vaguely familiar from his time in the 23rd century it was changed enough that he was glad he’d have some assistance from the healer. The three women watched him carefully as he walked around the lab, looking at all it had to offer. Genomics had been an interest he and Suzette had developed after their escape from the research facility, mostly to find out what had been done to them. With time, however, they had come to appreciate its dangers more than its potential. At least, Khan had thought they did.

He turned to look at Voda. “I would be interested in reading your research thus far, and look over the samples you have collected,” he said and then turned to Aereon and Floga. “You may leave your samples with Voda and go, if you wish. I will probably be here a while.”

“I’d like to stay, my Lord,” Floga said, her eyes begging him to allow it. “I won’t get in your way and I can fetch things...if you need anything.” She looked down at the floor nervously.

Khan exchanged a look with Aereon and the older woman nodded. “Very well,” Khan said. “You may begin with helping Voda fetch her research. I imagine it's extensive.”

Voda bowed and ushered the girl out of the labradory. Aereon watched them go before gliding over to him. “It was the tree, wasn’t it?” she said with a slight smirk. “You believe your Sister didn’t stop at genetically engineering plants.”

“Did the odds tell you that?”

Aereon shrugged delicately. “Common sense and years of meddling in other people’s lives. I can see why she would be tempted.”

“And I can think of a million reasons why she should’ve left well enough alone.” He looked into Aereon’s eyes. “We were the successes. When we escaped and began searching for other Augments around the world, we also saw the failures. It was enough to put me off.”

Aereon touched his arm gently. “Perhaps she had good reasons to try. There were many challenges ahead of them and as you now know, your people mingled with other Federation species. Don’t judge your Sister too harshly.” She patted his arm before letting her hand drop.

“I’m not,” Khan said and sighed. “I know Suzette’s heart was probably in the right place, but I fear what I’ll find and what your people will think of her then.”

“It doesn’t matter what you find, my Lord. They gave us life, for that they will always have our gratitude, but if you wish, your findings will remain between us.”

Khan nodded gratefully. “Thank you.”

“I am here to serve, my Lord,” Aereon simply said. “I’ve been meaning to ask, how did your meeting with the Council go?”

Khan pressed his lips together before answering. “They still wish to wait for the Necromongers to come to them.”

Aereon sighed. “I had hoped that they would see reason by now.”

Khan held her eyes with his. “Perhaps you were right, it might be time to remind them of their place.”

Aereon smiled. “As you wish, my Lord.”

***

Nyoka let her eyes roam over Riddick’s naked torso appreciatively. Khan was a lucky man, not that Khan was a slouch himself, but Riddick was on another level when it came to physical appearance. “So, how do we do this?” She asked.

Riddick shrugged. “First time Shirah came to me, she placed her hand over my heart to give me the mark,” he said. “Khan did the same for you. Seems like as good a place as any to begin.”

Nyoka nodded. “Worth a try,” she said. Khan had asked them to try and contact Shirah again, this time together, since the last time the Furyan woman found her, Nyoka had been reaching for Riddick. She closed her eyes and reached out to touch Riddick’s chest.

“You’re supposed to put your hand over my heart, not cop a feel,” Riddick said.

Nyoka huffed and opened her eyes to glare at him. It didn’t help that she could feel the Furyan’s amusement. “You are _not_ helping,” she said and moved her hand towards the center of his chest. “Besides,” she added with a grin. “Can you blame me?” She saw Riddick smirk back before she closed her eyes again. She frowned. Other than Riddick’s mild amusement and curiosity she felt nothing out of the ordinary. She was basically doing what she did before, only from closer. “What now?” she asked after a while.

“Hell should I know?”

Nyoka groaned and let her hand drop. “Well, you’ve been a Furyan longer!”

“And the Purifier and you are the only other Furyans I’ve ever met,” Riddick countered. He crossed his arms and frowned down at her, Nyoka sensed no aggression though, the big guy was simply thinking. “Every time that energy in me got activated I was in some sort of danger. Well, except for that one time.”

“Okay,” Nyoka said. “That’s good, that’s something, what were you doing that one time?”

Riddick smiled and wiggled his eyebrows.

“Oh...oooh!” Nyoka said and smiled back. “You lucky bastard.” She tried to push that image from her mind so she could focus but then a thought occurred to her. “Maybe it's not just when you're in danger. Maybe it's heightened emotions that Shirah picks up on, even I can sense you guys when you’re going at it but there was one time I couldn’t ignore it at all. It was the day Khan told me I was pregnant.”

Riddick nodded. “Yeah, that was the day.”

“She comes when you’re in danger so there’s a connection there but I assume she didn’t come when you were getting freaky?”

Riddick shook his head and Nyoka shared his amusement at the possibility of that happening.

“Though when she sensed me the second time I was not in danger.” Nyoka continued, trying to untie the knot. “But I was trying to find you...Maybe we need to get you to manifest this energy again, see if that gets her attention. So...what made that one time different from all the others?”

Riddick made a rumbling noise in the back of his throat. “We had a heated argument after you left. Then…”

“Angry sex?”

Riddick shrugged. “I might’ve been a bit more intense than usual. How does this help with what we’re trying to do here?”

“Well,” Nyoka said, considering and reconsidering her idea. “It’s called the Wrath of the Furyans, right?”

“Yeah,” Riddick said, frowning slightly.

Nyoka took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and smacked him as hard as she could. “Anything?”

***

Vaako sighed and rubbed his eyes. He hoped that Nyoka and Riddick were faring better than he was on their assignment. He’d been buried in the Archives for hours with very little to show for it. Once Khan came out of his meeting with the Council he had asked Aereon why no one seemed to be using ships with a warp drive system anymore. For once the Elemental seemed to know very little on the matter. She knew the ships had at some point been decommissioned by the Federation due to subspace emissions, which had proven to have a destructive effect on the interstellar environment. All knowledge on their engines and how they worked had been lost when their Elders began the long trek from Federation space to where they were now. Khan, however, was convinced that he could improve the Elemental ships based on that old technology. The speeds he claimed those ships could reach sounded nothing short of magical to them. Ships that could travel faster than light? There were stories but everyone believed them to be just that, stories.

Vaako still didn’t understand what all that had to do with these dilithium crystals Khan had him looking for. The references he’d found on the elusive crystals were ancient and from before their Elders even left the Federation behind them. He wished he had access to the Aquilan archives, but what was left of those were now in Necromonger hands.

He decided to change tactics. He stood and walked over to the Archive’s main office. The staff on duty there stopped what they were doing and waited for him to approach.

“Is there a section here dealing with rare crystals that can be found in this or nearby systems?” he asked them. 

A young man stood and bowed slightly. “If you would follow me, Lord Vaako, I will show you where we keep those records.” He led Vaako into a large room with interactive screens, holograms and even actual physical samples of various stones and crystals. “This is the geology and mineralogy section,” the young man said. “If you are looking for something specific the computer accepts voice commands.”

“Thank you,” Vaako said looking around at the vast collection. “Can I take some of those samples with me?”

“Some of those are very rare,” the man said with some hesitation.

“I suppose I could tell Lord Khan to come down here himself if he wishes to study them,” Vaako said, thinking that’s what Nyoka would do.

The man shifted on his feet and glanced at the samples. “Everything will have to be logged before you remove it from the premises. There are carrier boxes in the back for the more sensitive samples.” The man seemed to deflate a bit. “If you need any further assistance do not hesitate to ask.” He bowed and left, throwing a few worried glances behind him before he was out of view.

Vaako looked at the Archive collection again and sighed. It was going to be a long day.  
He had been at it for hours when he came across a small crystal fragment labeled ‘Elemental Stone’. Without much hope he pulled up the information on it and began reading.

The Elemental Stone was also known as Winter’s Tears, other names included Radan and Elekter. It was classified as potentially dangerous in great quantities. That caught his attention, if nothing else he could present Khan with a potential weapon. He packed the small crystal into a container and downloaded its information onto his data tablet before he continued reading. 

The crystals had a tendency of growing in unusually aligned lattices. When this phenomenon occured the crystals would begin to generate an electric field that if left unchecked could prove extremely dangerous, able to even shatter a planet. Many planets, on which these crystals grow, routinely destroy these formations to avoid such a fate. The crystal was common on Quintessa.

Vaako stood and stretched, it was getting late in the day and he doubted he’d find anything more today. He packed away all the information he’d gathered and took it to the Archive staff to have it logged before he could take it up to Khan’s rooms. They made no comment as they logged everything carefully and handed it back to him. Vaako, bemused, shook his head as he left the Archive. Khan had been here only a few days and he already had enough sway over these people that they’d ignore their own rules to please him. Perhaps the next time he was down in the Archive he’d educate himself on Khan’s history and his connection to the Four Elder Races.

He walked across the palace’s common area to Khan’s tower at the center of the palace. As always he gathered more than a few curious looks but no one tried to engage him in conversation. He entered the tower’s lift and leaned on its back wall, once again wondering how Nyoka and Riddick were doing. When the lift door opened he was greeted by the servant outside Khan’s door.

“Welcome back, Lord Vaako,” the man said and opened the door for him.

Vaako nodded at the man and entered Khan’s rooms to find Nyoka sprawled on the sofa looking annoyed and Riddick leaning on the balcony’s door frame, looking out over the city. 

“Vaako, finally,” Nyoka said. “Can you get Riddick angry?”

Vaako’s eyes wandered over to Riddick as the Furyan turned to look at him with an amused smile and a shrug. He looked back at his wife. “You’re better at that than I,” he said confused. “Why would I want to get him angry?”

“We tried everything,” Nyoka said exasperated. “Well, nearly everything, he won’t let me stab him, but we can’t get the damn Furyan energy to activate and no matter how hard I concentrate I can’t reach that woman!”

Vaako put his samples container on the table and walked up to his wife. “Well, both times you saw her you were with Khan, not Riddick.” He sat down with a sigh. “I didn’t have much luck either.”

“I don’t think it matters who’s with who,” Riddick said. He was looking out over the city again. “When you tracked me down to Crematoria and nearly killed me, I saw Shirah, before I blasted you and your men with the Furyan Wrath.”

“Yeah,” Vaako said, “I remember that well. It was the first time I questioned my faith.”

Riddick turned to look at him again. “Do you remember what I did right after?”

Vaako frowned. “You didn’t do anything. You were out cold.”

“Exactly,” Riddick said, grinning. “Maybe we’re thinking too much into this. Maybe Shirah also needs some time to recharge before she can contact us again.”

Nyoka sat up with a frown. “I didn’t consider that.” She looked at Riddick skeptically, as if she couldn’t believe the man had thought of something like that before her. “It makes sense, if she’s, who knows how far away, it can’t be easy for her to reach out, no matter how powerful. Even the Greater Quasi-Dead have their limits.”

Riddick nodded and gestured at Vaako. “By not much luck, I’m guessing no dilithium?”

“No,” Vaako said. “But that doesn’t mean it's not here, maybe it's known by another name. I brought some of the most interesting samples I’ve found for Khan to look over.”

“Let's hope he had better luck than us,” Nyoka said, slumping back onto the sofa.

“Yeah,” Riddick said, looking out once more.

“Can you still sense him?” Nyoka asked. “Is he still worried?”

“Kind of, I think he’s absorbed in whatever he’s doing.”

***

Khan looked over the data again. The Elemental DNA samples were mostly human, as he had expected. Augments were human, even if enhanced and Augment DNA was more dominant than most. There were also traces of at least three unknown, to him, species. He fed the computer a sample of his own DNA, it only took a moment for it to break it down and show him the data.

“Compare and cross reference current sample with previous ones,” he told it and waited while it worked. He glanced over at Voda, who was looking up older samples for him. He had requested for older data, as far back as she could find. He hoped to trace the problem through the generations by seeing what mutations had occurred and the possible modifications Suzette had implemented. The computer beeped to let him know it was done comparing the samples. He looked at the data and frowned. “Impossible,” he breathed as he checked and double checked what he was seeing. The computer didn’t simply find the usual similarities of human to human DNA, it found connections to his own, unique, DNA.

“Computer, highlight genes inherited from the last sample in all previous samples.” The computer worked a moment then presented him with the refined data. It was all there, some of it fragmented but there was no question in Khan’s mind, Suzette had somehow gotten her hands on his DNA and used it to modify theirs. “Use the last sample as source material and extrapolate mutations throughout the generations.”

The computer took longer this time, giving him a few hypothetical scenarios. Khan asked it to add possible modifications to accommodate the foreign genes of different species with the source sample. The puzzle kept getting bigger and bigger and even though the pieces seemed to fit at first glance, some of them were only close enough, but not quite right.

“Voda,” he called, maybe a bit too suddenly as the healer looked up from her work startled. “Do you still have records from the samples you took from Riddick and Nyoka?”

“Yes, my Lord. Vaako’s too,” the healer said. She obviously wanted to ask questions but she waited for him to speak again.

“Send that data to this computer, please.”

“Yes, my Lord,” the woman said and left her station to go somewhere in the back of the room. He was somewhat glad Aereon and Floga went to get them something to eat. He wanted to be sure before sharing what he suspected. Voda returned a few moments later with a data disc which she imputed in the lab's main computer.

Khan’s computer beeped again to alert him of the new incoming data. He opened those files and dragged them over to the ones he was working with. “Compare new samples with source sample.” 

Riddick’s and Nyoka’s samples shared many more genes from a different alien species than those of the Elementals, but they also shared a few common ones with them. Their human DNA too contained Khan’s DNA. Vaako’s had more in common with the Elementals than Riddick’s and Nyoka’s but with one major difference. One of those alien genes were much more dominant than the others but once again, Khan’s was present.

Khan could assume that the alien DNA Riddick and Nyoka shared was from the ones Aereon had called Betazoids. He guessed the lesser contributions to be Vulcan, a quick comparison with Vaako’s sample confirmed that. Vulcan DNA was also a big contributor in the Elementals. Khan raised an eyebrow. He wouldn’t have guessed the Vulcans to be so...prolific. There was however another species which had contributed with the making of Elementals that was unique to them. It could also be where their problems began.

“How are you coming along with the older samples?” he asked Voda.

“I have data from samples here that go back seven generations but the variety range is limited. I’m afraid that’s how far back our records go.”

“Good enough,” Khan said. “Forward what you have to my computer.”

***

Riddick could sense that Khan was very close and quickly getting closer. He was glad he had sent Vaako and Nyoka away when it became obvious that the Beastie would be gone well into the night. From what he sensed, Khan would be in no mood for company. He frowned when he heard the low hum of a hovercraft and then the distinct sound of footsteps landing on the balcony.

He walked to the big balcony doors and looked outside just in time to see the hovercraft veering away into the night and Khan, standing there, watching it go. “Couldn’t be bothered with the lift?” he asked, stepping outside.

Khan turned, the two moons of Quintessa illuminating the sharp lines of his face. He looked at Riddick with an unreadable expression. “I didn’t feel like meeting others on my way here.”

Riddick crossed his arms. “I take it there’s a reason why you’re looking at me like you’re seeing me for the first time?”

Khan sighed and walked up to him. “I’m seeing you with new knowledge.” He looked into his eyes and Riddick could see himself reflected there. His own eyes glowing in the moonlight.

“Does this knowledge change anything?” he asked, curious to learn what surprises the Beastie unearthed this time.

“Yes, and no,” Khan said, he kissed him on the lips briefly before pushing past him, taking off his coat as he did. “Have you and Nyoka had any success contacting Shirah?”

Riddick followed Khan inside. “No, but we have a theory.”

“Oh?” Khan said, tossing his coat on the back of the sofa and pulling off his shirt next.

“We think she might need some time before she can reach us again,” Riddick explained, realizing that Khan was only half listening. The Beastie’s mind was sorting through something else and was buying himself time before he was ready to talk. Riddick didn’t mind giving it to him, as long as he didn’t clam up again. “Every time I was forced to use the Furyan energy I was knocked on my ass. Maybe her abilities tire her out too and she needs some recuperating time.”

Khan tossed the shirt over the coat before turning to face Riddick with a slight frown. “Makes sense,” he said and hesitated. “And Vaako? How did his search go?”

Riddick crossed his arms again. Khan was doing some serious dodging. “Nothing on Dilithium but he brought some samples for you to go through and a data padd full of information about crystals.”

Khan’s eyes searched the room until he found the sample container. “Good,” he said and started to take a step towards it.

“Not so fast,” Riddick said, and Khan froze midstep. “Wanna let me in on how your day ’s been?”

Khan hesitated again. “I’m...still sorting through it myself.” He backed up and slowly sat on the edge of the sofa. “It seems like my suspicions have been well founded. Only, there was something I didn’t suspect at all.”

Riddick joined him on the sofa and waited patiently while Khan stared at the floor. The younger man didn’t seem angry, he seemed more confused and mortified than anything else. “What?” Riddick asked gently, unable to wait any longer.

Khan looked up at him. “Suzette did practice DNA resequencing to make changes in your DNA and she used my DNA to do it.” 

Riddick blinked. “She used your DNA? How?”

Khan barked a short laugh. “Even I can’t figure that out in a day.”

“Well,” Riddick began, “maybe she explains it.” At Khan’s confused look Riddick let his eyes wander over to the book sitting on Khan’s desk. “In there.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> A massive thank you to my good friend LiteraryHedonism for all their help on this chapter. I don't know what I would do without it!  
> And a big thank you to everyone who has commented/kudos. I really appreciate your support and your comments keep me going <3
> 
> Be safe! <3


	10. Chapter 10

Riddick kept his eyes closed as Khan crawled into bed next to him. He heard and felt the younger man hesitate then a moment later the sheets were unceremoniously thrown off him and he was unabashedly straddled.

“I know you’re awake,” Khan said as he settled on his hips.

Riddick smirked, eyes still closed. “What gave me away?”

“There were a few clues,” Khan said with amusement in his voice and grinded against him suggestively.

“Mmm.” Riddick’s hands coasted up smooth thighs to grab hold of firm asscheeks. He opened his eyes and looked up at a smiling Khan. “You seem in a good mood,” he said, rubbing the younger man’s ass gently. “Found something?”

“Indeed I did,” Khan said leaning over him. Riddick saw him reaching for their nightstand before their lips met. Khan kissed him gently before sitting back again, the bottle of lubricant in his hand. The younger man smiled. “Right now, I’m more interested in what I found in bed.” He popped the bottle open with his thumb and poured a generous amount in his right hand.

“Must’ve been good, if you’re in the mood to play nice,” Riddick said, squeezing the younger man’s ass.

A playful look was all the answer Khan gave before he turned his attention to Riddick’s erection. He stroked him slowly, applying the lubricant all over his member until it was glossy with it. 

Riddick grabbed Khan’s wrist when the man went to reach back to lube himself. “Let me,” he purred and took the bottle from him. He lubed the fingers of his right hand, put the bottle back on the nightstand and pulled Khan back over him. As their lips met again, Riddick reached behind Khan and pushed a finger slowly inside him.   
The younger man moaned into his mouth and Riddick took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, swirling his tongue with Khan’s. He felt the younger man curl his body slightly to create more space between them as he began to stroke Riddick’s cock again and attempted to ride his finger.

Riddick growled, the urge to claim what is his getting stronger with each swing of Khan’s hips and stroke of his cock. He forced a second finger in, enjoying the delicious mewling sound he elicited from the younger man. With his free hand he gripped Khan’s asscheek firmly to control his movements and worked his fingers around, looking for that trigger. He knew he found it as much by feel as by Khan’s reaction.

Khan broke the kiss with a gasp that turned into a moan, all his muscles locking up as the wave of pleasure shot through him. Riddick opened his eyes and pressed down again, this time the moan he received was more desperate, followed by quick, short breaths through parted lips. He basked in the beauty of it and pressed down more ruthlessly, drawing out moan after whimper after moan until Khan growled and his eyes snapped open. Animal locked eyes with Beast.

“Go on then,” Riddick rumbled and pulled his fingers out.

With a brief show of teeth, Khan sat up and maneuvered himself in place, sliding Riddick’s hard cock back to meet his entrance. With a prolonged moan of satisfaction he impaled himself on Riddick’s erection so slow that it felt like torture. He then stilled, head tilted back, eyes closed, and taking deep breaths through his nose. Riddick watched, his impatience reaching desperation levels. He growled a warning that caused the younger man to grin and swing his hips slightly, slowly, just barely creating any friction.

When it became obvious he wasn’t getting any more any time soon Riddick began to rise to take over, only to be slammed back into the bed, hard and lighting fast. He looked down at the hand on his chest that kept him pinned, then up at hard blue eyes.

“No,” Khan growled and held his gaze until Riddick relaxed back into the bed. Khan resumed his tortuous rhythm. “ _Tell_ me what you want,” he purred down at him.

Riddick felt a thrill go down his spine. This was new, unexpected, and a bit confusing for the animal inside him, but also, sexy. He slowly caressed Khan’s thighs, his touch gentle and undemanding. “Ride me harder,” he paused then smirked as he added. “If it please Your Majesty.”

Khan gave him an unimpressed look but picked up his pace slightly. It was still too slow but Riddick was curious enough to see where this was going. Eyes still locked with his, Khan kept his new pace and it didn’t look like he was relending.

“Beastie…” Riddick warned.

Khan tilted his head. “What?”

Riddick was tempted to try and overpower the younger man again, but as soon as the thought crossed his mind Khan’s eyes narrowed and he stopped moving. “Harder,” Riddick rumbled then in a lower tone. “Please.”

Khan’s grin was victorious as he resumed riding him, adding just a bit more speed.

Riddick let his eyes roam over the younger man’s body, down to where it met his, and watched the lazy swing of Khan’s hips. Slow, sensual, with brief glimpses of his own cock when Khan rose just a bit higher. He moved his hands further up Khan’s thighs and tried to push him down harder while raising his own hips, but again Khan successfully resisted him. The Beastie rose higher and out of his thrust’s reach with a stern look. It was a power game and this time Khan would not back down.

The younger man took hold of Riddick’s wrists and forced his hands away from his thighs, pressing them down on the bed. Riddick never really gave Khan credit for how strong he really was, until that moment. The grip around his wrists was iron, the pressure down almost painful, enough to make him wonder if he could break free. _Probably_ , he thought, but even the animal inside him was having it’s doubts, _but do I want to?_

Khan pressed down on his cock again, taking him in deeper, and leaned slightly forward, pinning him with his eyes as much as his hands. He resumed his slow pace, keeping their eyes locked.

The need for more built up inside Riddick with each of Khan’s slow rise and descent on his shaft. The feel of that tight warmth taking him in and letting him go at that pace held him close to the edge but kept him from crossing it. Something inside Riddick let go as he looked up into the blue depths of Khan’s eyes and suddenly it didn’t matter if he was the Alpha or not. If Khan wanted to assert dominance tonight then Riddick was willing to submit to him. “Please, Beastie,” he purred and Khan paused as he bottomed out. “Khan... please,” Riddick repeated with more feeling. “Please. Fuck me harder.”

A deep rumble of satisfaction reverberated from Khan’s chest and the pressure around Riddick’s wrists was gone as the younger man began riding him in earnest. Riddick groaned with relief and closed his eyes, taking a moment to enjoy every sensation. The generous amount of lube made it a smooth ride, something rare for them as they usually fucked each other raw, but Riddick was loving it. He felt hands bracing against his waist as Khan picked up more speed and opened his eyes to find Khan still watching him.

Riddick’s hands moved up Khan’s thighs again and this time when the younger man took them away it was to lace his fingers with Riddick’s and use them as leverage as he added more bounce in his thrusts. Riddick was mesmerised, he had heard before of predators keeping their prey captive with their eyes, but he never thought he’d experience it for himself. “You’re not human,” Riddick murmured.

Khan leaned forward, still holding his gaze and riding him hard. He pinned Riddick’s hands next to his head. “No,” was all Khan said before he kissed him hard enough that Riddick tasted blood.

It was more than enough to send Riddick over the edge and he moaned and growled into Khan’s mouth as his hips convulsed with his release. Khan rode him through his orgasm then broke the kiss, released his hands and sat back up. The younger man resumed a slower pace and seemed in no hurry for his own release as he watched Riddick try to catch his breath and bring back his senses. 

“You,” Riddick panted, “will be the end of me.” He huffed a laugh. “And I thought you were going to play nice.”

Khan smirked and caressed Riddick's stomach. "Still think there's room for improvement?"

"Hah! So this was payback?"

The younger man chuckled. "No...well, maybe. A little."

Riddick smiled and crossed his arms behind his head. “If this is how you hold grudges, I should insult you more often.” He looked down at Khan’s still unspent cock. “Want me to do something about that?”

Khan shook his head. “No,” he said softly and after a last shallow swing of his hips he dismounted to lay next to Riddick.

Riddick frowned but said nothing, instead he held out his arm and wrapped it around Khan as the younger man snuggled up to his side. He stroked Khan’s ribs and heard him sigh contentedly as he settled his head on Riddick’s chest. He gave him a squeeze and kissed the crown of his head, he was rewarded with a wave of love through the Bond. “I love you, Beastie.”

“I love you too, Riddick,” Khan said. He snuggled closer, placing his leg over Riddick’s hips and an arm around his chest. A moment later he yawned and fell asleep.

Riddick continued to rub Khan’s side and back, just then realizing what a toll all these events must be taking on the Beastie. It had probably been days since the last time he had slept as soundly as he was now. Riddick hadn’t realized before because he had become so accustomed to him sneaking out of bed. “I’ll keep you safe, no matter what,” Riddick whispered and kissed the top of Khan’s head again. “I promise.”

Khan hummed, shifted slightly in his sleep, and Riddick felt him relinquish the last shreds of awareness as he slipped into a deeper slumber. 

***

Nyoka sat on the edge of a vast lake, the warm, crystal clear water lapping gently over her bare feet. She was under the shade of a large tree, its hanging branches swaying over her, occasionally dropping small blue flowers. One of them fell on her lap and she picked it up to look at it. Suzette’s Kiss, this was the tree Khan was so fascinated with. She brought the flower to her nose and inhaled its sweet scent.

She slowly became aware of someone sitting next to her. She placed a hand on her stomach and turned to look who it was. A beautiful woman smiled brightly at her. Nyoka didn’t recognize her face but she suspected who she was by her dress, her long, light brown hair and her hair style. The same hairstyle Nyoka kept her own hair these days. “I’ve been trying to reach you,” she told the woman.

Shirah nodded. “And now you have, sister. Well met.” 

Nyoka looked around her, realizing that it was strange to be here, by a lake, when the last thing she remembered was falling asleep next to Vaako, in their rooms, at Khan’s tower. “Where are we?” she asked, looking back at Shirah.

Shirah was still smiling but her golden eyes were sad. “This was our home,” she said. “Furya. Before the war, before the Necromongers came.”

Nyoka looked at the scene before her with new eyes. “It’s beautiful,” she breathed. A sharp shriek from above turned her attention to the sky. A bird flew overhead, its green, blue and purple feathers catching the light like crystals.

“It was,” Shirah said. “No longer.”

The beautiful scenery around them melted away like wax left too close to a flame. It was replaced by desert, struggling trees, and row upon row of grave markers. Nyoka pulled her feet out of sand and stood. “This is horrible,” she said, actual tears forming in her eyes. She turned to Shirah and saw the other woman’s eyes were brimming with unshed tears as well. They were sharing their emotions.

“This is Furya now,” Shirah said, waving a hand at the devastation around them. “The thorns of its destruction still pierce its flesh.” She pointed.

Nyoka’s eyes followed the direction Shirah’s hand was indicating. Outlined against the horizon a familiar sight. A Necromonger Conquest Icon, its three faces still looking over the planet they helped destroy with grim expressions. 

_Never fails to inspire, does it? Each time a dynasty falls._

Her words, her voice, spoken by the wind, mocking the fall of so many planets. She turned away from the icon and placed her hands over her stomach. “I am _not_ that half dead thing anymore!”

“I know you’re not, sister. That was your own guilt speaking,” Shirah said, coming at her side and wrapping an arm around her hunched shoulders. “You are Furyan and you must find your way back home.”

Nyoka was surprised, she could feel the other woman’s touch, her warmth. What kind of dream was this? She swung around and took Shirah’s hands in her own. She could feel her flesh, the strength of her grip. “How?” she asked urgently. “How do I find you?”

Shirah smiled. “All Furyans bear the Mark.” She brought Nyoka’s left hand to her heart. Nyoka could feel the other woman’s heart beat under her fingers. “We are all connected, and we all know how to find our way home.” Shirah said and caressed Nyoka’s face. “And each other.”

Nyoka shook her head desperately. “You don’t understand! I don’t know how, I have never been to Furya. Riddick doesn’t know either. We need your help...sister.”

Shirah knelt and gently pulled Nyoka down with her. “All Furyan women know the way,” she said. “We hold the memories of all who came before us.”

“I’m not wholly Furyan,” Nyoka said.

Shirah laughed. “Your mother was, that makes you as much a Furyan as I am.”

Nyoka blinked at her like an idiot. Her mother was a full blooded Furyan? And she’d had no idea. “So, you’re saying that I inherited all these memories from my mother?”

Shiran leaned forward with a conspiratory smile. “You knew him when you saw him, did you not?”

Nyoka hesitated, she didn’t need to ask who Shirah meant by _him_ , that was clear, but as a Necromonger her feelings had been as numb as her body had been. “I felt drawn to him. I felt like I could trust him, even against my own nature.”

“That’s how it begins,” Shirah explained. She balled her hand into a fist and held it over her stomach. “It's like a gut feeling,” she touched her chest, “but you feel it here,” she touched her temple next, “and you see its truth here.” She held her hand out, palm towards Nyoka. “Do you trust me, sister?” she asked and her hand began to glow. “Because this _will_ hurt.”

“The baby?” Nyoka asked, covering her stomach protectively with her hands.

Shirah smiled. “I would never harm my niece.”

Nyoka nodded. “I trust you.” She smiled. “Sister.”

Shirah touched Nyoka’s chest and her touch was like fire, a fire that spread and engulfed her, invaded her veins and lit up her heart. The energy kept building and building until her body could no longer contain it. Nyoka threw her head back and screamed as the energy blasted outwards.

She sat up in bed still screaming. She patted her body trying to put out a flame that wasn’t there, but the pain was gone as suddenly as it came. She looked around her in a panic. “Vaako?” There was a groan from the side of the bed. She crawled to the edge and looked down. Her husband was sprawled on the floor, dizzily blinking up at her. “What are you doing on the floor?” she asked.

Vaako groaned and sat up, rubbing his head. “You were whimpering in your sleep,” he said. “I tried to wake you but you started glowing like the day Khan healed you. Next thing I know I’m blasted out of bed by this…” He looked up at her with wide eyes. “Furyan energy,” he finished.

Nyoka grinned. “We need to speak with Khan. I think I know how to find Furya.”

With another groan Vaako laid back on the floor. “In the morning,” he said.

“Well, yeah,” Nyoka said. “They’re busy now.”

***

Khan took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He quickly became aware of Riddick’s body pressed against his back with his arms tightly wrapped around him. He smiled, there was no sneaking out of this grip. He shifted and the big man held him tighter with a groan of protest. 

“It’s too early,” Riddick mumbled on Khan’s second attempt. “Go back to sleep.”

“The sun is up and there’s much to do,” Khan argued, though without much force. There was a long pause but Khan was sure the big guy hadn’t fallen back to sleep.

“If you want to get up now,” Riddick growled lowly, his breath hot on the back of Khan’s neck. “You’ll have to pay the toll.” He rubbed a hardening erection against Khan’s ass.

In response Khan stuck his ass out further, the sensation Riddick’s thick shaft sliding rythmically between his asscheeks quickly awakening his own need. He allowed himself a small, needy moan when Riddick’s hand wrapped around his own shaft, slowly pumping him to full hardness.

“That’s my Beastie,” Riddick growled again, kissing the back of Khan’s neck and sending shivers down his spine. “Don’t move.”

Riddick’s hand let go of Khan’s member and he felt him twist behind him, a moment later he heard the lubricant bottle’s cap pop open. When Riddick’s shaft slid between his asscheeks again it was cool, wet and slick. Khan shivered as the tip of Riddick’s cock pressed along his crack down to his entrance, he held his breath but the invasion never came. “Riddick,” Khan breathed the other’s name.

With one smooth, brutal motion, Riddick pushed his shaft inside him to the root. Khan gasped at the sudden pain and pleasure that gave him. Riddick wrapped his arms around him again, pressing him hard against his chest and crotch. Instead of fucking him though Riddick left his shaft burried deep insided him and relentlessly jerked him off. The slickness of the lube, still coating Riddick’s hand, the pressure in his ass and the fast pumping of his cock had Khan whimpering and undone in seconds.

He didn’t have time to catch his breath as Riddick rolled over him, pressing him face down against the bed with his arms trapped under him. Riddick let out an animalistic growl before he bit and held the skin at the back off Khan’s neck. The thrusts that followed were deep and brutal, sending spears of pain and pleasure up Khan’s body and he loudly moaned his approval of each one. Riddick’s cock pounded him like a jackhammer and though Khan would never think it possible he was fast reaching another orgasm.

Riddick too was moaning with each thrust, his teeth let go of Khan’s flesh as the big man’s thrusts became more erratic and his moans louder. Khan felt Riddick’s hot breath against his ear. “Mine,” the Furyan growled and hot, silvery energy shot through Riddick’s body and into Khan’s body.

“Yours,” Khan gasped back, seeing stars in his vision as he again tipped over the edge with Riddick pumping his own completion inside him.

They lay a moment catching their breath before Riddick rolled off him and onto his back with a deep, satisfied sigh. “Now you can get up,” he said and closed his eyes.

Khan chuckled. “In a moment,” he said and rose to his elbows to study his mate’s face. He wondered if Riddick realized how possessive he was getting lately during sex, or if it was just something of the moment. Either way, Khan found it thrilling, though he wished he’d had enough of his senses during those times to try and understand the energy that manifested itself. He knew it had something to do with the Bond and more to do with Riddick than him. “And you should get up too, the servants will be here any minute.”

“As Your Imperial Majesty commands,” Riddick said, he cracked open one eye and grinned at Khan’s eye roll. “We should probably shower before they come too.”

Khan nodded, pushed himself up and crawled out of bed, Riddick following suit a moment after. Khan looked back at the bed and made a face at what he saw there. “We really made a mess this time,” he said.

Riddick chuckled as he looked over the mess. “Something for your new subjects to gossip about.”

Khan made a choking sound at the idea and felt his cheeks starting to warm up.

Riddick noticed and grinned as he approached him. He pulled him into his arms and kissed his cheekbone. “So cute that you still blush,” he said.

Khan frowned. “It’s not, woah!” he exclaimed as Riddick unexpectedly lifted him into his arms. “What are you doing?”

“You think too much,” Riddick scolded and began walking to the bathroom. “Shower time,” he said and kissed him. “And I might fuck you again.”

***

When the lift doors opened Vaako and Nyoka came face to face with Khan’s servants. The serving staff respectfully waited for them to step out of the lift before crowding inside. He saw his wife smirk at a servant who carried a bundle of bed sheets before the doors closed again. 

“Could you be less subtle?” he scolded her.

“Oh, stop scowling, Vaako. Live a little,” she responded, waving a dismissive hand at him. “I promise I won’t tease your new Lord about it...today anyway.”

Vaako sighed and knocked on Khan’s door. “Somehow I find that hard to believe.”

Floga opened the door and smiled at them as she ushered them inside. “Lord Khan is in a very good mood today,” the girl whispered, seeming rather giddy herself.

Nyoka’s eyebrows rose. “I bet he is.”

“They are out on the balcony,” Floga said. “I’m going to go fetch my grandmother.”

“If you must,” Nyoka said dramatically but smiled at the girl and reached up to stroke back a lock of hair that escaped the girl’s ponytail. “Hurry back.”

Floga beamed at her and hurried to the lift.

“You’re getting soft, wife,” Vaako teased.

Nyoka stared at him. “Don’t mistake my fondness for the girl as weakness, husband, that would be a grave mistake.” She winked at him and headed for the balcony.

Vaako shook his head and followed. He had no doubt that his wife still had her fangs and venom, but he knew that from now on she’d only use them when she had to or had something to protect. When they stepped out to the balcony, Khan rose to greet them. 

He first went to Nyoka for their now customary kiss on the cheek. “Good morning, how are you feeling?” he asked her.

“More alive every day,” Nyoka said.

Khan smiled and turned. “Vaako,” he said, approaching him next with a big, genuine smile. He took hold of Vaako’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “Well done, my friend.”

“My Lord?”

“You found it, you found Dilithium!” Khan said, his excitement almost contagious. He gave Vaako’s shoulders one last squeeze before turning expectantly towards Riddick.

Riddick leaned forward in his seat, holding up one of the samples Vaako had found. “It seems that this is it,” the Furyan said.

Vaako took the crystal fragment from Riddick and looked closely at it. He remembered this one, it was the one labeled Elemental Stone. It seemed as plain and harmless as it had yesterday, though Vaako remembered it could be dangerous in large quantities. “While I am happy to serve, my Lord,” he said and looked at Khan. “I don’t understand how this crystal will help us in the upcoming war. You plan to develop some sort of weapon from it?”

Khan sat back down and gestured for them to do the same. Once everyone was seated the Augment smiled. “What do you know about matter-antimatter reaction?”

Vaako glanced at Nyoka and Riddick before answering. “I know that when the two meet the reaction is a gigantic nuclear explosion. The two annihilate one another.”

Khan shrugged. “The amount of energy released is usually proportional to the total mass of the collided matter and antimatter. Now imagine a constant collision of matter and antimatter and all the energy produced by that reaction used to power ships.”

“That would be an immense amount of power...but how would you control all that energy?”

Khan’s eyes dropped to the crystal in Vaako’s hand. “Dilithium is semi-permeable to both deuterium and anti-deuterium. It provides a natural chamber for a controlled matter-antimatter reaction, focusing the energy so it can be harnessed and used for power. I won’t bore you with the details, I’ll save that for the Elemental engineers, but suffice to say, you gave me the key to making Warp capable ships.”

“If you can get these idiots to listen to you and actually build these ships,” Nyoka muttered.

“I have a plan for that,” Khan said and Vaako had the feeling that by ‘plan’ Khan meant things were already in motion. He looked down at the crystal again and then at his wife. He gave her a nod.

Nyoka nodded back and turned to Khan. “I have news as well,” she said. “I finally made contact with Shirah and I believe I can now find Furya.”

That got both Khan’s and Riddick’s undivided attention. “How?” Khan asked.

“According to Shirah, all Furyan women have some sort of ancestral memory they can tap into.” Nyoka hesitated. “It’s strange,” she went on. “It’s like a gut feeling but so much more.” She reached out and took Khan’s hand. “It’s like I _see_ you now. I _know_ you. I feel like I’ve known about you for centuries.”

Khan gave her an odd look. “Shirah told me something similar when she and I first made contact.” He glanced at Riddick. “She was surprised I didn’t know her.”

Riddick nodded. “The day I got injured. I remember.”

Vaako cleared his throat. “She was also glowing with that energy, last night,” he said. “Like Riddick was when we fought on Crematoria. Blasted me right out of bed, though I was unharmed, again.”

Nyoka nodded. “We believe the energy somehow recognizes Vaako as...well, a...”

“An Augment,” Khan finished. “As mine.”

“Yours?” Vaako asked.

The way Khan looked at him then made Vaako’s heart thump against his ribcage. “It seems that doctor McCoy had saved some of the blood I offered to heal you. He later on gave my blood to my sister, Suzette. She used my DNA to genetically engineer the next generation of Augments.”

“Yours...” Vaako said, the meaning of that word slowly sinking in. Khan’s people had loved him so much that they made him a part of everyone. He knew then what that look in Khan’s eyes was, they also gave him more reasons to fight for them, care for them. More than just distant descendants of his siblings. They were, His.

“Furya,” Riddick said, startling Vaako out of his thoughts. “How do we find it?”

They all looked at Nyoka. “Well,” she said. “Do you still have that holographic map of the universe? Perhaps it will jog these ancestral memories now.”

“We do,” Khan said and stood. “But I’m afraid I can’t join you on that quest today.” The door chime sounded and Khan smiled. “Aereon is here and I have a genetic defect to fix.” He looked at Riddick. “Could you?”

Riddick nodded. “I’ll get the map and look through it with them.”

Khan leaned down and kissed Riddick then nodded at Nyoka and Vaako. “I’ll see you all tonight.”

“No kiss for us?” Nyoka called after Khan’s retreating back. They heard the Augment chuckle as the main door closed behind him. “He _is_ in a good mood,” Nyoka said, grinning.

“He believes he found a way to fix the Elementals little fertility issue,” Riddick said. “Yours and Vaako’s discoveries helped too.”

“I bet last night and this morning helped too,” Nyoka said, wiggling her eyebrows. “What?” she said, catching Vaako’s narrowed eyes. “I promised not to tease Khan, I said nothing about Riddick.”

***

Khan closed the door behind him and looked at Aereon. “Have you made the arrangements?” he asked her.

“Voda has agreed, pending your success, of course.” She followed him to the lift. “You’re meeting with the smugglers tomorrow, as we have discussed.” She held out a holopad. “And these are the schematics to my ship. I sent Floga to get the schematics for the Elemental fleet ships from the Archives and bring them to your rooms.”

Khan turned on the holopad and flipped through the ship's details and plans. He activated the holo-image of Aereon’s ship, flipped and rotated it, a smile forming on his lips. He had been right, the design was mainly Vulcan with some influences from Earth ships. He had studied both when he had been designing Vengeance. “The design of your ship is very similar to the _Suurok_ class Vulcan ships. Minus the ring-shaped warp nacelles, but that’s a plus in this case. I have a different design in mind.”

“And these ships will travel faster than the speed of light?”

“Much faster, the Necromongers won’t know what hit them.” The more he looked at Aereon’s ship the more potential he saw. Redundant systems that now served as backup systems had served as warp systems in the past, the modifications would be easier than he had dared to hope. “Vaako found the piece I was missing, you call it Elemental Stone.”

“The ground shaking crystals?” Aereon said, her surprise clear in her voice. “Those are very common here.”

“Your ancestors chose your planet well,” Khan said, wondering if that had been by design rather than chance. “I will study these tonight and give you my modifications by tomorrow.” He turned off the holopad as the lift doors opened. “I will want you to begin refitting your ship immediately.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

He strode out of the lift, quickly cutting through the palace’s common area. People froze in their tracks to watch him or scrambled to bow before he was past them. He barely took note of them as his mind still worked on Aereon’s ship and the modifications he would need to make.

“My Lord?” Aereon said next to him.

Khan slowed down, feeling a bit guilty for not being more considerate of his escort, though she seemed to be keeping up with him just fine. “Yes?”

“There is another matter to discuss. The people have only seen you once and you’ve been here a few days now. They are getting curious, restless even...perhaps a public appearance is in order?”

Khan stopped and frowned. He had been so focused on the Necromongers and his plans the thought never crossed his mind. “What did you have in mind?”

“As the odds would have it, your timing is good for a big holiday we observe here on Quintessa, one that honors our Elders. People gather from all over the planet to pay their respects to you and your siblings. With you now here, in the flesh...their numbers will be...overwhelming.”

Khan raised an eyebrow. “It sounds like I have no choice _but_ to make an appearance.”

Aereon smiled. “I was hoping you’d see it that way,” she said and patted his arm before resuming walking to the hovercraft.

Khan sighed and followed. “You know you can just tell me these things?” He scolded once he caught up with her. “There’s no reason to blindside me with last minute information.”

“Keeping you on your toes amuses me and I’m old, I’m allowed some small amusements.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you'll all enjoy this chapter. I kept it light as a lot of things will start happening soon and I want to pace myself a bit. As always, thank you so much for your support and I'm looking forward to any comments. :)
> 
> Special thanks to LiteraryHedonism for reading every chapter a 100 times with me lol Please check out their stories, they are an amazing writer!
> 
> Be safe <3


	11. Chapter 11

Riddick led them down the same road he had followed last time. Khan and Vaako were silent, hooded, figures flanking his every move. It was strange and new for him, prowling the dark streets in the company of others. Vaako had not been part of the plan, but he had insisted on joining them, something about not being right for an Emperor to have just one man to guard him. Khan had found that amusing enough to allow the former Necromonger to accompany them. Though the slight melancholia he sensed beneath Khan’s amusement made Riddick suspect that Vaako had triggered a memory.

Riddick found the dark alley and paused off to the side, taking a look around for any curious eyes, Khan and Vaako did the same before all three of them walked into its pitch black maw.

“This is it,” he whispered, standing over the grade. “You have the best hearing, Beastie. Anything?”

Khan’s face was hidden within the darkness of his hood, but not to Riddick’s eyes. He saw him tilt his head and close his eyes. “It’s clear,” he said a moment later, opening his eyes again.

Riddick lifted the loose grate and jumped down into the tunnel below. He moved further in and a second later Khan joined him with Vaako following soon after. Riddick reached up and silently closed the grate. “It’s down there a ways,” he said. “Can you see well enough?”

“I can,” Khan said.

“I’ll follow your lead,” Vaako added.

They were halfway between the secret entrance and the smugglers' town when Khan halted. “There’s someone ahead,” he said.

Riddick saw him tilt his head and frown. “What is it?”

Khan looked at him, his frown deepening. “Sounds like a child.”

Riddick grinned. “A street rat,” he said and took a few steps forward. “Alright kid, we know you’re there.”

There was a shuffling noise further up the tunnel and a head peeked from around the corner of a side tunnel. “You Riddick?” a mousy voice asked.

“I am,” Riddick said. Khan was right, this was a child of maybe nine or ten. “Who’s asking?”

The boy stepped further out in the open but kept a hand on the side tunnel’s wall as if afraid to completely leave the safety of his escape route. “Told me there would only be two of you.”

“Slight change of plans, kid. Sent you to fetch us, have they?”

“Show me your eyes,” the kid said.

Riddick smiled as he pulled back his hood and angled his head so his eyes caught what little light seeped into the tunnels through the grates of the street above. “Smart kid,” he said when he heard the child gasp. “Not taking any chances. Now, lead the way.”

The boy nodded and disappeared down the side tunnel. When they reached the turn they saw him waiting a safe distance ahead.

“Riddick,” Vaako hissed. “This could be a trap.”

“If it is,” Riddick growled, loud enough for the child to hear. “Someone is going to be very sorry they fucked with us.” He looked at Khan, the younger man nodded and they began moving again.

The boy maintained a safe distance between himself and them but kept glancing back to make sure they were still following. When he reached another turn he allowed them to get closer before taking it, probably unsure of how well Riddick could see in the dark.

“How far?” Riddick asked as they took the second tunnel. 

“Almost there,” the boy called back, picking up his pace again to increase the distance between them.

Riddick was starting to suspect that this was indeed some sort of trap when the boy stopped and pointed at something. They walked up to him at a relaxed pace and this time the boy stayed put, which could only mean his people were close.

“Through there,” the boy said.

Riddick looked at where the boy pointed and saw a wooden door, all snug right next to one of the tunnel’s supporting arches. “After you,” he told him.

The boy walked up to the door, knocked three times, waited, and then knocked twice. The door opened a crack and a strip of light fell on the boy’s face. He blinked up a few times. “They’re here. I brought them. Three, but I saw his eyes, it's him, it’s Riddick,” the boy said in one breath.

“Good job, Kail,” a female voice said and the door opened further. “Now, run along.” Something was tossed in the air, which the child caught eagerly before he scurried down the tunnel.

Riddick pulled his goggles over his eyes as the door opened fully and bright light spilled into the tunnel. A blonde woman stepped into the doorframe, her piercing blue eyes missing nothing. Riddick resisted the urge to growl appreciatively at the woman’s physique. She had an hourglass figure, accentuated by the tight, sleeveless vest she wore, which also served to show off her muscular arms.

“Cute kid,” he said instead.

“Adela Canmore Angevin,” the woman said, eyeing him before her eyes flicked between Khan and Vaako. “I am the chosen leader for this meeting.” As Khan and Vaako also threw back their hoods, her eyes fixed on Khan and widened slightly. She took a seemingly involuntary step forward and clutched at something hanging from her neck.

Khan stepped forward. “I am Khan Noonien Singh. A pleasure to meet you, Adela Canmore Angevin.”

The woman let go of what Riddick could now see was a locket and bowed. “I had seen the recordings of your arrival, but I didn’t dare believe it. I was sure it was some kind of trick.”

“I must admit,” Khan said softly. “It surprises me that so many know my visage.”

The woman stood from her bow and removed the locket from around her neck. She opened it and held it out to Khan. “How could we not?”

Khan closed the distance between them and took the locket, he looked the woman in the eyes before he looked down at the jewelry. Riddick stepped closer to have a look and grinned. A small but detailed portrait of Khan stared up at them.

“Those lockets are passed down to the heads of each of the Watcher families,” the woman said and stood more proudly. “The Council might have forgotten its place, but we have not.”

“Watchers?” Khan asked, his voice going very soft.

“We trace our lines back to the original seventy two. We have been charged to watch and prepare for your arrival. The locket you hold belonged to Kati.”

Riddick felt a wave of shock through the bond and saw Khan sway slightly on his feet. He discreetly placed a hand against the younger man’s lower back to steady him. “So,” he said, looking at Khan’s profile, unsure how many more surprises the Beastie could handle. It’s been one after another since he woke him from his icy sleep. “There’s seventy two more of those?”

“Oh,” the woman said, her expression pained. “There are twenty on Quintessa, the rest were on Furya and Aquila. I’m afraid I don’t know their fate.”

Khan closed the locket and squeezed it in his hand for a moment before returning it to Adela. “You said you’ve been preparing for my arrival. What does that entail exactly?”

Adela put the locket back around her neck and smiled. “Come inside, my Lord. It’s time you met the others as well.”

She turned and led them through the door into a well lit chamber beyond. She gave them a moment for their eyes to adjust, and for Riddick to wear his goggles, before moving further in and stepping to the side to reveal a small gathering of people. Riddick recognized three of them. Steinn, his son, Kruss, and Brann.

Khan gave a grunt of surprise that made Riddick quickly scan the room for threats, what he saw instead made him pause. “Kirk?”

“I’ll be damned,” Vaako whispered.

Adela’s curious look bounced between them and the young man, who had a remarkable resemblance to James T. Kirk, only much younger. She made no comment however as she turned to the rest of the people gathered there. “Khan Noonien Singh has finally returned to us,” she said.

The men and women in the room bowed deeply. “Lord Khan,” they said with one voice. “We come to serve.”

The turmoil of emotions Riddick felt from Khan was cut short, the Bond gone quiet. When he looked back at Khan, the younger man’s expression was as cold and blank as a mask chipped out of ice.

***

Khan felt overwhelmed, dizzy even, the young version of Kirk was just the match in the powder barrel. He tore his eyes away from the young man, it helped that he broke eye contact to bow to him, and looked over the others. He was glad everyone was busy bowing instead of looking at him. They were expecting an Emperor and clearly showing any weakness, any humanity, now would not do. He shoved his emotions aside and schooled his expression to neutral.

“Rise,” he said. All eyes were fixed on him again, Khan tilted his head in a way he knew intimidated most. “While I appreciate the show of loyalty, I came down from my _high tower_ because you told Riddick you have terms to negotiate with me.” Every heart in the room was beating fast but three changed to the familiar beat of fear. Khan’s eyes turned to the three men slightly off to his left. The men’s eyes widened and their hearts beat even faster. “So which is it?” Khan purred with a faint, warning smile. “Loyalty or terms?”

Adela stepped forward. “Please understand, my Lord.” Khan’s cold gaze turned to her and she faltered. “Steinn and the others...all of us, we hoped it was truly you but...we needed to see for ourselves.”

Khan remained silent, his gaze steady. He saw Riddick edging closer to him from his peripheral vision and relaxed the grip on his emotions just enough to sense him through the Bond. Riddick was worried, did he really think he would lose control over this? It was clear however that the people in the room were starting to fear him. Khan closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. “Loyalty or terms?” he repeated, taking some of the ice out of his tone, but he was done with Elementals thinking they could control him. If they were unwilling to fight for their own survival then he had no reason to fight for them.

Adela touched her locket and looked at the people gathered behind her. There were more than a few nods. “Loyalty,” she said. “Now and always. We come to serve.”

Khan allowed himself to relax a bit and inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment. “Then I will hear your _concerns_ ,” he said. He wasn’t unreasonable, he knew that with a new leader people always expected some changes, hopefully for the better. He saw everyone visibly relax at his olive branch. “But,” he went on, “stopping the Necromongers takes precedence over all else. We need to ensure the future before we can discuss how to improve it.”

“We are of the same mind, my Lord,” Adela said and stepped back. The rest of the gathering moved to the sides of the chamber to reveal an old, sturdy looking wooden table. 

Khan headed for the head of the table with Riddick and Vaako following close behind him. Everyone shuffled around to their seats but remained standing. He looked down the table, making note of who had a place on the table, where and next to who. Most of the younger members of the group remained standing against the wall, Kirk’s young clone included. “So, shall we begin?” Khan said and sat.

Everyone waited until he was settled before they too claimed their seats. Riddick and Vaako remained standing behind his chair, something that made Adela hesitate before sitting to his right. A man of about forty, with sharp features, followed her lead and claimed the seat to his left. Adele began the introductions from him. Gerald Blois, who specialized in finding buyers for the smuggled goods. The man next to him specialized in information and so forth. These were the people that knew and ran the inner workings of what Riddick called the city’s underbelly.

With the introductions out of the way and every name and face memorized, Khan leaned forward and steepled his hands, considering the people before him. “How many ships are available to you?”

“Two hundred, long range,” Adela answered promptly. “A few hundred more that can make shorter trips within our solar system.”

“What speeds are your fastest ships capable of?”

Adela considered for a moment. “Of the two hundred, at least half are capable of light speed.”

Khan nodded. “I will need schematics of your ships. Is that possible?”

They all glanced at each other, years of caution causing them to hesitate. “We can arrange for that, my Lord,” Adela said. “May I ask why you need them?”

Khan smiled. “I am hoping to improve your ships, but I’ll need to see what I’m working with. I assume you have engineers of your own?”

“Some of the best, if I may say so, my Lord,” a man Adela introduced as Flint, specializing in ship parts and repairs jumped in, showing great interest. “We’ve had to be creative since we fly under the radar, my boys and girls can fix anything.”

The man’s pride and confidence in his people caused Khan’s smile to grow. “Then I shall make sure to give them a challenge worthy of them.” He let the smile fade. “Warp speeds,” he went on. “That means faster than light. Top speed can be two thousand times greater than light speed.”

A stunned silence fell in the chamber which quickly erupted into murmurs and shouted questions. Khan ignored them all and leaned back into his chair. Adela stood and stared her people down until they fell silent again. Khan was impressed, considering their excitement they fell in line almost immediately under her disapproval.

Adela reclaimed her seat and looked calmly at him, though her heartbeat told a different story. “And you would give us this technology, my Lord?” 

“I will have to train some of your engineers myself, it could be dangerous otherwise… and I expect you to use the technology for the fight against the Necromongers.”

“Of course, my Lord. The Necromongers are a threat to us all.”

“What of the Council, my Lord?” A woman called.

“What of them, Kiara?”

She blinked in surprise at his use of her name but forged on. “When do you plan to overthrow them? And how may we assist?”

Khan tilted his head. “I will not be overthrowing the Council.” He didn’t have time to finish before the chamber once more erupted into shouts. Adela as well seemed taken aback by his reply and made no attempt to calm them. Khan waited a moment but it didn’t seem like they’d be calming down. He took a deep breath and brought his fist down on the table. The heavy table shook visibly and the threatening groan of wood close to breaking silenced the room. “There is a threat coming, intent on killing you all, noble or otherwise,” he said calmly, then added a bit of a growl to his tone. “And you would have me start a civil war?”

Eyes dropped down in shame and Adela shifted nervously in her seat. “Then, how will you handle the Council, my Lord?”

“It’s being handled,” Khan said, assuming a nonchalant expression and leaning back into his chair. “The Council will have no choice but to accept me as Emperor after the Orfikkel festival.”

***

The meeting with the smugglers didn’t go as Vaako had expected it to, or as Khan had, for that matter. They had managed to surprise the Augment with the whole Watchers story, but he recovered quickly and took control of the situation even faster. It fascinated Vaako to watch Khan turn the tide. He didn’t use threats, and he didn’t treat his subjects as lesser beings, as the Lord Marshal would have, as Vaako would have. Khan was intimidating and it was clear that he was in charge but he didn’t suffocate them, he allowed them room to breathe and speak their minds. In the end, they obeyed because they wanted to please him.

Khan wisely refused to give them more information about his plans regarding the Council and instead turned their attention to what changes they were looking for. It turned out their ‘demands’ were already part of Khan’s long term plans for Quintessa. They wished to be merchants, not smugglers, they wanted the isolationist mentality of the Council lifted from the people of Quintessa, and equality between the gifted and nongifted citizens. They wanted to take their fate into their own hands and explore their universe. It suited Khan’s plans to unite his people, all of what was left of them and perhaps even more.

The meeting concluded with Khan promising that the next time they met it would be an official Imperial hearing at the Palace. 

Khan stood and everyone rushed to stand with him. “I would like a word in private with those who bear the lockets,” Khan said.

Most bowed and cleared the room, six remained behind and Vaako noticed how Kirk’s lookalike hesitated at the door with a hopeful look at Adela, at Khan’s cold gaze however he scrambled to clear the room as well.

“My son, my Lord,” Adela clarified once the young man shut the door behind him. “He was so excited to meet you I didn’t have the heart to refuse him.”

“What is his name?” Khan asked. Vaako had a good guess at what the Augment was thinking, though his expression showed nothing other than indifference.

“Siles, my Lord. Siles Canmore Angevin.”

Khan’s expression softened. “Descendants of Kati. She was not just one of the eighty four that joined me on the Botany Bay, she was a sister I grew up with.” He looked at the other five. “And you? To whom do you trace your lineage?”

Gerald Blois bowed. “Otto, my Lord.”

Khan smiled. “Also a brother I grew up with.”

Gerald returned the smile. “Perhaps some day you will share stories of their childhood with us, my Lord.”

“Perhaps,” Khan replied softly and turned to the remaining four. 

They were descendants of Ama, Daniel, Tamsin, and Kamala, and though Khan had something to say for all of them it seemed that the last were not with him since childhood. Still, Vaako admired the man’s memory, he had remembered everyone's name tonight, and even though Khan’s attention to men and women outside his closest commanders baffled Vaako, he also saw the effect it had on those people. It made them feel seen, important, and even more eager to prove themselves to the Augment.

Khan turned towards him and Riddick. “You all know my consort, Lord Riddick, by reputation if not experience,” Khan said and offered a teasing little smirk at Riddick. “And the man next to him is Lord Vaako, one of my closest advisors and former Lord Marshal of the Necromongers.”

“So it’s true,” Adela said, eyeing Vaako. “You converted a convert.”

Vaako frowned. “He healed my body, the will to follow him was my own.” He saw suspicion in their eyes and wondered if he should have not spoken.

Riddick chuckled. “Vaako was honorable even as a Necro, which is why despite our best efforts he still has a stick up his ass.”

Vaako resisted the urge to glare at Riddick and was surprised to see the smugglers attempt to hide their amusement. Their suspicion had lessened considerably as well. He looked at Khan and saw the man grinning at him, Vaako relaxed his stance and offered back a faint smile. “I am here to serve,” he told Khan and bowed.

Khan nodded and turned back towards the six Watchers. “I asked you to remain behind because I have an important task I need you to accept. With Lord Vaako’s help we know where the Necromongers are headed now, the path they’ll take to their goal, and to return to known space, what we don’t know is exactly when they will return. It will take time to refit your ships, time we can’t afford to have them sitting idle. I will need you to send a few of your fastest ships ahead to watch for the return of the Necromongers. It is also my understanding that the Aquilans had a vast network of outposts, find them and if damaged repair them and have your people man them. Set up a system that will warn us in time for when the Necromongers reappear. Lord Vaako will be available to you for any information you’ll need. Ask your questions wisely and heed his counsel.” He paused and the Watchers nodded their understanding and agreement. “Spread the word as well,” Khan went on. “Tell any human you meet that the Elementals will fight against the Necromongers and that all who wish to join us will be welcomed.”

“We will serve, my Lord,” Adela confirmed.

“We will speak more of this when we meet next,” Khan said. “I must return to the Palace, there’s a lot to do. I will expect the details on your ships and numbers delivered to me by the end of tomorrow.”

***

Riddick grinned as he stepped out of the room behind Khan and spotted baby Kirk. To his amusement, the eager puppy look on the boy only served to increase his resemblance to Khan’s old enemy turned reluctant ally. Though the boy was probably in his very early twenties. He knew when Khan paused that the Beastie had spotted him too.

“My Lord?” Adela inquired worriedly from behind them. “Forgive me but...did my son do something to offend you?”

“He tasks me,” Khan murmured, but it was so low Riddick doubted Adela heard him. He shook his head as if trying to dislodge an unpleasant mental image and signaled the boy to come closer. Riddick almost felt sorry for baby Kirk, he seemed both excited and terrified as he approached under Khan’s icy gaze. “You are his spitting image,” Khan said after studying Siles for a moment.

The boy blinked. “Who’s spitting image, my Lord?”

Riddick looked at Khan curiously when he sensed a sliver of satisfaction from him through the Bond. He understood why and tried not to burst into laughter when he saw the Beastie grin almost triumphantly.

“James T. Kirk,” Khan purred. “Who apparently got himself more involved with my family than I had anticipated.”

Riddick chuckled. “Can’t say I blame him, if your family is anything like you.”

Khan made a deep humming noise in the back of his throat that sounded almost sexual and caused baby Kirk to blush and look at the floor.

“Captain Kirk is known to us,” Adela said, coming to stand next to her son and looking at him as if for the first time. The poor boy was getting increasingly uncomfortable under everyone's scrutiny. “It is said that he had been of great help to our ancestors," the woman added, trying to alleviate her son's discomfort. 

“Helped himself as well,” Vaako added, joining them.

Riddick barked a laugh. “You’re one to speak...doctor. We have the whole set now.”

Khan surprised all of them with a throaty chuckle. “One piece is missing, and dear lord I hope we never find it.” He seemed to soften at the boy’s crestfallen expression and reached out, placing a finger under the boy's chin to lift up his head. “I suppose it could be worse than a familiar pretty face. And I do believe I see something of Kati in the eyes.” He let go of the boy’s chin and stepped back. “It is nice to meet you, Siles.”

“And I you, my Lord,” the boy said quickly and bowed. “I come to serve.”

Riddick again felt that sliver of satisfaction from Khan, before the younger man nodded at Adela and turned to head down the way they came.

“I guess we’re done here,” Vaako mumbled at Riddick and followed after Khan.

Riddick chuckled and shook his head. “See you around, baby Kirk, Adela,” he said and waved as he followed the others.

He waited until they were back at the palace and alone in their rooms before he smirked at Khan. "Enjoyed that, did you?"

Khan removed his hooded coat and draped it over a chair. "The meeting went better than I expected."

"That too, but I meant the boner you got at the end." He chuckled at the double take and incredulous look Khan gave him. "Don't play coy with me, Beastie, I felt how much you enjoyed having Kirk's lookalike worship you."

Khan tilted his head back and looked down his nose at Riddick, which only caused his amusement to grow. Riddick kept his smirk in place and held the other’s gaze, he saw the moment Khan let the Imperial mask slip and became his Beastie again. 

The younger man lowered his head with a sigh and smiled sheepishly. “I suppose I took _some_ pleasure from that.”

Riddick approached, still smirking, and pulled Khan into his arms. He bent his head and kissed the crook of his neck. “And did you imagine him on his knees, _serving_ you?” he purred and felt Khan’s pulse quicken under his lips before the younger man pulled out of his arms.

“You really are an incorrigible man,” Khan scolded weakly and walked to his desk, picking up one of the holopads he had been working on earlier.

Riddick chuckled. “I wouldn’t mind, you know, if you wanted to dip your wick into that,” he said. “Or a woman.”

Khan’s back stiffened. “I don’t want to _dip my wick_ anywhere,” he stated without looking up from the holopad.

“How would you know?” He sighed when Khan ignored him. “You could have a whole damn harem if you wanted.”

Khan lowered the holopad and looked at him with a frown. “Why would I want a harem?”

Riddick crossed his arms and shrugged. “The perks of ruling. You really want me to be all you ever had?”

“Yes,” Khan said without hesitation and looked back at the holopad. “You are all I need, Riddick.”

Even though Riddick didn’t expect Khan to jump at the opportunity, he was surprised to find that he actually felt relief at the Beastie’s answer and that it had pleased him more than he would ever admit. He didn’t have to admit anything, however, the Bond did it for him and he saw a smile play on Khan’s lips. 

Riddick shook his head with amusement. “How’s your design for Aereon’s ship coming along?”

“See for yourself,” Khan said and placed the holopad on the desk. With a few swift moves, he activated a three dimensional holographic image of Aereon’s ship. 

He moved closer as Khan began adding the parts he had designed to the simulation. “Looks slick,” he said. “What are those?”

“Those,” Khan said with a proud smile, “are the warp nacelles which will house the warp coils of the vessel's new warp drive. They create a subspace displacement field, which warps the space around the vessel allowing it to ‘ride’ on a spatial distortion, and travel faster than the speed of light.” Khan’s excitement spilled over the Bond as he spoke. “Aereon’s ship will be capable of going up to warp nine point nine. Unfortunately, its design is not fit for all the modifications I wanted to make but it’ll still be one of the fastest ships in my fleet.”

“Is that the top speed you spoke about at the meeting? Two thousand times greater than light speed?”

Khan hummed. “This is a bit faster. Warp nine point five was the Federation’s top speed, which is what I mentioned in the meeting. The ship I had designed for...Marcus, was three times the speed, but our time is limited to attempt building a ship like that, hence modifying what’s already built. It would be wiser if I focused on weapons and long range communications instead.”

“Any communications will be picked up by the Necromongers though.”

Khan’s smile was predatory. “It won’t matter, by the time they realize they are under attack they would have already lost.”

“I hope your confidence is warranted, Beastie, the Necromongers have been devastating planets for decades.”

“Yes, I have been paying attention. They are quite powerful once they get their Conquest Icon’s on the ground, but from everything Vaako told me, I suspect they won’t be as effective in a space battle. I don’t know what happened between Kirk's time and now but a lot of technology has been lost. It’s like you’ve all reverted to a time between _my_ original time and the Federation’s time. You have projectile weapons, those are from my time, but you also have a few energy type weapons, though not as effective as the ones from Federation time.” He turned off the holopad and pushed it aside while pulling out another one from his ever growing stack. Riddick didn’t know how he kept track of all of them. A familiar sight popped out of the new holopad. “The Conquest Icon’s,” Khan said. “Necromongers send them past the soon to be invaded planet in groups, disguising them as a passing comet. When they are past any space defences and near the planet they break up and land on the planet.”

“I was told the Icons are indestructible,” Riddick added.

Khan shrugged. “Nothing is indestructible, but the Icons are not important.” Khan looked at him as if expecting him to finish his thoughts. 

Riddick couldn’t see what Khan was seeing however. “How can they not be important? It’s their most powerful weapon.”

“No,” Khan said, shaking his head. “They are merely a distraction, a smokescreen to conceal the true threat to the planet. Conquest Icon’s are practically carrier ships. They deliver the first wave of assault to the planet, small fighter ships, which I suspect are not space capable on their own, and land troops. They also carry what I understand to be the equivalent of a few nuclear bombs but that’s beside the point. Unless they land they can’t deliver.” He switched the image to a representation of the rest of the Necromonger armada. “The Icon’s and their payload are meant to distract the defending forces from attacking these. Spacefaring Warrior Ships carrying the invasion force, and of course, the Basilica, the key to Necromonger success and, ironically, their survival.”

Riddick was starting to see it now, it all made sense once Khan explained it, so much so that he wondered why he hadn’t seen it before. There had been chaos on Helion Prime, once the Icon’s had landed. People in the streets trying to find shelter, soldiers scrambling to hold back Necro landing parties, New Mecca’s air force swarmed by thousands of small Necro fighter craft. No one saw the Basilica and second wave of Necro forces until it was too late. “So, while the planet recalls all its defence forces to face the Necromonger fodder forces, the real invasion force strolls in unchallenged and picks off the leftovers.”

Khan nodded. “They overwhelm the planet with numbers and the defending forces weaken fighting what is merely pawns to the Necromongers. It _is_ a brilliant strategy.”

“It was,” Riddick said, smiling. “Until you came along.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Khan is starting to find his stride! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I'd be very interested in hearing your thoughts!
> 
> A big thank you to LiteraryHedonism for beta-reading this chapter and working with me on the finer details, you rock! Please head over to their account and check out their stories. I highly recommend!
> 
> And as always thank you to all who have left me comments/kudos, your support means a lot!
> 
> Stay safe! <3


	12. Chapter 12

“You did it, my Lord!” Voda exclaimed after carefully looking over the results of his last experiment. “I’ve been trying for so many years and I never even got close to a solution.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Voda,” Khan said. “If not for your own extensive research this would have taken much longer.” As it was, it only took him a couple of weeks. “You were also missing an important element.”

Voda smiled. “Your DNA.” She hesitated. “But if all four Elder races share your DNA, why do _we_ have this...defect?”

“Ah,” Khan said, leaning back in his lab chair. “I believe this here is your culprit.” He pulled up the image of the DNA fragments of the unknown species he had found. “Like the others, your genetic make up consists of Augment, Vulcan, Betazoid, and a few other minor humanoid species here and there, but...this one...this one is present only in Elemental DNA, at least as far as I can tell, from our limited non Elemental samples.” He looked up at Voda and she nodded that she was following. “Augment DNA is very aggressive, it will destroy or forcibly assimilate all others, which is why Suzette used my DNA, since it tends to ‘fix’ and assimilate rather than attack. This unknown species DNA, however, proved to be rather stubborn as well. In the struggle for dominance some of your DNA sequences ended up fragmented. It does seem to be the main contributor, for your abilities though, when it combines just right with the Augment genes. Which also explains why only some of you have these abilities.” He could almost see the gears in the healer’s brain spin so fast that smoke might come out of her ears any minute. “Voda,” he said gently but firmly. “I forbid you to further meddle in this unless it's under my explicit instruction, is that clear?”

Voda was disappointed but she nodded agreement. “You have my word, my Lord.” 

“And are you satisfied enough with the results to go ahead with our plan?”

“I am here to serve,” Voda said, bowing deeply. “And it will be my greatest honor to do so.” She rose and handed him back the research, then looked at him critically. “How long has it been since you rested, my Lord?”

“I’ll rest when this is all over,” Khan said, wondering if he really looked that bad. The healer usually walked on eggshells around him and telling him that he looked like crap, even in such a roundabout manner, spoke volumes.

“You will rest _now_ ,” Voda said stubbornly, causing him to look up at her in surprise. “Superhuman or not you are still human and the Orfikkel festival begins tomorrow. You should be prepared.” She then caught herself and added sheepishly, “my Lord. My apologies...I-”

Khan smiled. “Don’t be afraid to speak your mind to me. Honesty and the courage to speak it is something I value greatly in those around me.” He looked down at his research and sighed. “And you are right, I should take some time to...recuperate. We will work out the finer details after the festival.

He rose and nodded politely at the healer. He had come to respect and even admire the healer’s mind and dedication but perhaps it would be best if he spent the rest of this day with those who didn’t just see him as their Emperor. He’d be getting plenty of that soon enough, some time to simply relax beforehand sounded good. “Get some rest as well, Voda,” he said and walked to the door.

“My Lord,” Voda called him as he opened the door. He turned to look at her. “How is Nyoka? And her pregnancy? Has she been examined yet?”

Khan hesitated. “I haven’t seen her in almost a week. Should she be examined?”

The look Voda gave him almost spelled out ‘you poor man’, she covered it with a smile. “Her case is unique and of course, it is always prudent to have a physician familiar with your pregnancy and medical needs. If you allow me, I would like to reach out to her and offer my services.” She fidgeted a little. “I only ask, my Lord, because our initial interactions had been...well, I was...I hope you will let her know my intentions are well meant.”

Khan nodded. “I’m sure she will appreciate the offer and I thank you, Voda, for offering.” 

***

“That system looks familiar,” Nyoka said, pointing at a system with five orbiting planets on the three dimensional map.

“We’ve been through there as Necromongers, though,” Vaako said, looking closer at the map. “It had one habitable planet...no more.”

Nyoka sighed. “I know it's not Furya, but I can’t tell if it's familiar because of these ancestral memories or because, as you pointed out, I’ve been there before.” She looked back at her husband and saw that his face had gone pale and his eyes wide. “Vaako, what’s wrong?”

He looked at her, then quickly averted his eyes. “I remember that planet too.”

“We established that already, husband.”

Vaako cleared his throat. “When I was converted,” he began, seeming to be forcing the words out of his mouth. “The Lord Marshal was still hunting for Furyans. Their...colonies. About a year after I had joined their ranks he got word that there might be a few Furyans left in a small colony.” He pointed to a planet in the system that had seemed so familiar to her. “On that planet.” He looked into her eyes then. “That’s when _you_ joined our ranks. I remember finding it odd that the Lord Marshal chose to convert only females from that planet.”

It took Nyoka a moment to process what Vaako was saying. Not because she didn’t understand it, but because she didn’t want to. “My home,” she said slowly. “That’s my home?” 

Memories she’d had suppressed for years suddenly came rushing back. She remembered the Necromongers dragging them to the town’s square. Her father and brother lined up with the other men, her brother locking eyes with her just before the gravity guns blasted them all away. Her mother, screaming in fury and rushing at the Necromonger soldiers with a dagger. She’d managed to take a couple down with her before they killed her. Once all the men were dead, and the rest of them terrified, the Purifier stepped in. He gave them the speech and the choice to convert or die. She’d been too scared to choose death.

Nyoka backed away from the map with a gasp that turned into a sob, a moment later Vaako’s arms were tightly wrapped around her. For the first time since that day Nyoka allowed herself to mourn her family and all she had lost. 

When she finally had control of herself again she was grateful for Vaako’s strong arms around her, and for his insight to remain silent. She gently pulled out of his arms and looked up at him. Their eyes met and Vaako lowered his head while she stood on her toes. Their kiss was soft, a promise, an affirmation that they would always have each other.

Nyoka stepped back and wiped her eyes. “We seem to be on the right track,” she said, once she was sure she had control of her voice. “It stands to reason that a Furyan colony would be close to their...our home planet.”

“Perhaps you should take a break,” Vaako said. “Have something to eat.”

She put a hand on her temple and tried to rub away the tension there. She could feel a massive headache coming on. “Perhaps you’re right,” she said and looked at the map with a resigned sigh. The map was the same and yet...it wasn’t. She moved closer, squinting her eyes. “What the?” 

“What?” Vaako said, coming to stand next to her. “What is it?”

“I know the way... I can name every damn star and planet from here to Furya!”

“That is great news,” Vaako said hesitantly, eyeing her. “But how?”

“I think it's these memories Shirah told me about. They finally came to me! We should tell Khan immediately,” Nyoka said excitedly, deactivating the map and picking it up.

Vaako shook his head. “I’m afraid I have to go meet Riddick and head into the city, my love.” He looked at the setting sun. “I might have kept him waiting as it is.”

“Of course,” Nyoka said, disappointed. “I lost track of time.” She tiptoed to kiss him again. “Be careful out there.”

Vaako smiled. “I will, but we’re meeting with allies so you don’t need to worry.” He hesitated. “I think it will be best if you wait with your news until after tomorrow. He already has a lot on his mind and it's a big day for him tomorrow.”

Nyoka nodded. In her excitement, she had forgotten all about tomorrow. She could wait a couple of days, now that she found it, Furya wasn’t going anywhere.

“Are you alright?” Vaako asked, gently.

“Yes, I actually feel...Ah, it's so hard to put words to all these complicated little emotions. But yes, my love, I’ll be alright.”

***

Riddick was fiddling with his saber claw knives when the servants finally poured out of the bedroom, bowed to him, and left. “About time,” he mumbled then his eyebrows shot up and he nearly cut his hand as Khan walked out of the room. The Elementals it seemed had a flare for the dramatic when it came to presenting their Lord. Khan’s hair was slicked back with some sort of oil that made it look even darker. He wore what seemed to be a one piece, black, leather suit, so tight it fit like a second skin. A studded belt with a sword hung from his hips, while more studded straps wrapped around his hips and thighs. At the top he wore a cowl with a stiff high collar, his upper arms were covered in dark metal pauldrons, with more straps wrapped around his biceps, and bracers covered his forearms. Riddick would’ve thought the whole outfit impractical and strange if it didn’t serve so damn well in showing off Khan’s body.

“Can you even breathe in that?” Was all he could think to ask.

Khan frowned and turned towards a mirror, giving Riddick a good view of his ass. He looked at himself critically. “Not what I would choose for myself, but I suppose this is how they see me. A bit reminiscent of our combat suits actually. Though those were not so...embellished. It _is_ more comfortable than it looks.” 

Riddick stalked closer as Khan spoke, his eyes taking it all in. The suit left very little to the imagination and a hungry growl rose up from his chest.

Khan looked at him through the mirror and smirked. “Am I to guess from that growl that you approve?”

Riddick smirked back. “Yes, and I plan to spend a lot of time walking behind you. The view is...spectacular. Probably gonna have to fend off a few horny bastards while at it.”

Khan raised an eyebrow and turned to face him. “Who’s going to be fending off _you_?”

“Anyone with a strong enough deathwish.” He closed the distance between them and the way Khan held his ground, challenging him with those sharp eyes, sent a thrill down Riddick’s spine. He roughly pulled the younger man against him and kissed him, his hands wandering over the slim body to squeeze the other’s ass.

With a hum of protest and a chuckle, Khan pulled away. “This suit is tight enough as it is,” he said. “And we don’t have time for this.”

“Fine,” Riddick growled and gave Khan’s ass a last hard squeeze. “But your ass is mine tonight.”

Khan grinned before heading for the balcony. “Isn’t it every night? You’re insatiable. Now, calm down, you’re making me self conscious.”

“Oh please, like you don’t know how good you look.” Riddick smiled as he followed Khan outside. “And like that suit isn’t meant to turn heads...or cause a few to rise?” As much as the younger man protested, he couldn’t hide from him how much he enjoyed the attention. It pulsed through the bond like a heartbeat. “What’s with the sword?”

“Oh,” Khan said as if just realizing he wore one. “Symbolic. Throughout human history, the sword has been a symbol of leadership, protection, power, justice, and honor. I highly doubt Joaquin ever wore a sword, and I know I didn’t, yet that’s how they represent us in statues and paintings.” He rested his hands on the stone railing as he spoke and looked down. “It's all about the showmanship.”

Riddick joined him at the railing and whistled when he saw what Khan was looking at. “That’s a lot of people.” The day was just breaking but a crowd was already gathered at the palace’s garden gates. Those gates would soon open to let them in. Directly below them, workers were putting the final touches on the raised dais they had erected next to the statues of Khan and his siblings for the event.

Khan hummed his agreement and a faint frown creased his skin as he studied the dais. “Aereon said we should expect twice the people from when we landed. Now that they are all aware I’m here, they want to see the _Elder_ for themselves.”

Riddick watched as the workers below checked the large screens they had installed behind the dais. The Council members were going to give speeches as tribute to their ancestors, and then introduce Khan at the end. Screens all over the planet would be showing the great event. They even had the gall to write a speech for Khan. He chuckled. “They’ll get more than they bargained for.”

“If our new friends can follow through.”

Riddick turned his head to study his mate’s profile. It was unlike Khan to have doubts about his plans. “They’ll come through for you,” he reassured him. “They hardly even questioned it when Vaako and I told them what you want done.” Khan’s expression was unchanged but Riddick could sense the doubt still lingering. “Are _you_ having second thoughts?”

The corner of Khan’s mouth pulled up to a faint smile. “I always have second thoughts, and third and fourth. Why does this side oppose me? Why does the other support me? What do they gain? What am I missing? It’s always something when you play this game.”

“If you hate it so much, why play it?”

Khan turned to look at him and his smile grew enough to show teeth. “Hate it? No, I love it.”

Riddick frowned. He had sensed Khan’s doubt through the bond, he had, however, missed the sense of thrill that underlined that doubt. “Your emotions are as complicated as that beautiful brain of yours, Beastie.” He looked down at the crowd again. “They are lucky you’re on their side and you’re not Lord Marshal of the Necromongers. Otherwise, they’d all be dead by now.”

The look in Khan’s eyes was enigmatic, giving no clues as to what the younger man was thinking. The bond offered no clarity either, as what Riddick could sense he could only describe as a neutral hum. Khan seemed ready to speak when the door chime sounded. 

“I bet that’s your little shadow,” Riddick said, and sure enough the door opened and Floga walked in. 

She spotted them on the balcony and hurried over. Her eyes fixed on Khan and a blush blooming on her cheeks as she approached. “Good morning, my Lord and Lord Riddick,” she said, and bowed quickly. “They are ready for you.”

Riddick grinned. Since Khan had begun training her in hand to hand combat the girl had taken to wearing form-fitting pants and comfortable shirts, completely discarding the traditional robes. She even always kept her hair up in a tight ponytail at all times now. Her confidence had grown significantly too, though she still got flustered every time Khan gave her praise. 

“I think not,” Khan said, surprising the girl and Riddick. “I only saw five chairs on the dais. Tell them to add three more, my consort and the representatives of Furya and Aquila will also be joining us there.”

“Tell...tell the Council, my Lord? But the dais is reserved for the ruling members of Quintessa."

Khan's eyebrow rose disapprovingly. "Floga, you will tell them exactly what I tell you. Riddick is my consort, his place is at my side. As for Nyoka and Vaako, they represent the brothers and sisters the Council allowed to die at the hands of those that threaten you all. Now, until we find more Furyans and Aquilans, if any are left, Nyoka and Vaako will also serve as their symbolic leaders. The Council should not forget that they too share the same ancestors. After all, this day is meant to honor my brothers and sisters...and myself. If the council has any objections to that, they can bring them directly to me. Is that clear?"

Floga grinned. "Yes, my Lord."

“Off you go, then.”

Floga, still grinning bowed and practically sped to the lift. 

Riddick looked at Khan, who was also grinning at the girl’s excitement. “You just sent a child to scold her Elders.”

“Did I?”

Riddick shook his head and smiled. “She must have more than a little bit of you in her DNA, because she loved that as much as you did.”

Khan frowned, his smile disappearing instantly. “That’s because she has more sense than they do. The whole chairs thing is an ill-concealed snub of my authority. It is no secret who and what you are to me, yet they chose to exclude you.” He looked at Riddick, his blue eyes hard and intense. “They are testing me, to see if I’ll meekly accept what little they give me or challenge them.” Khan was getting more and more irritated with each word he uttered, he even began fidgeting with his arm bracers. “They never had to _take_ power or _earn_ it, it was simply handed down to them. Children, playing a game they have no experience in and they shall be treated as such!”

“And here I thought this was about chairs,” Riddick said, and grinned at the annoyed glance Khan tossed his way. He sighed. He knew this mood, a switch had been flipped and Khan was on the fast track for full-on rage. “Relax, Beastie. You’re letting your anger get the best of you and I don’t think going down there and ripping the heads off the Council members' shoulders will be the best way to win the people. Stick to your plan.”

Khan rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath. “You’re right, of course.” He took another deep breath and looked at him apologetically. “I shouldn’t let such things get to me.”

Riddick’s eyebrows shot up once more at what he sensed through the bond. “You’re nervous,” he said, unable to keep the surprise from his voice. “I didn’t think you could get nervous. Well, this explains a lot.”

Khan averted his eyes and adjusted the collar of his cowl. “The chairs should be on their way to the dais by now. Shall we?”

“After you,” Riddick said and smiled at the suspicious look Khan gave him. “I told you, I plan to enjoy the view.”

“Incorrigible,” Khan mumbled and strode to the lift, but Riddick could sense the younger man’s amusement as he followed with an appreciative growl.

***

Riddick adjusted himself in his new, throne-like, chair and watched as a couple of servants escorted Vaako and Nyoka up to the dais. The situation wasn’t the most comfortable for Riddick. He felt exposed, sitting on a raised platform, out in the open like this. He looked over at Khan. The Beastie sat with his legs crossed, arms resting lightly on the chair’s, back straight and head held high. His expression somewhere between stern and bored, until he noticed Riddick staring. Khan glanced at him and offered a quick wink before turning his attention back ahead.

Riddick looked over at Vaako and Nyoka as the two of them took the seats on his other side. The two former Necromongers were once again dressed as an Aquilan and Furyan.

“This is interesting,” Nyoka whispered.

Riddick wasn’t sure if she meant their being on the dais or something else entirely. He followed Khan’s example and looked ahead, once again trying to relax his body into the chair. The screens came to life with no warning and at the same time the gates began to open to let the crowd in. Drones shot into the sky, and the screens displayed birds-eye views of the people pouring into the palace grounds. It was like a slow ass wave heading their way.

Guards filed in from both sides of the dais to stand in a line between them and the crowd. Not that the people approaching the dais seemed to be in a rioting mood, on the contrary, Riddick had never seen a crowd move with such calm unison before. The approach slowed down, then stopped completely at a respectful distance from the guards. Riddick could see people craning their necks to look over others, then excitedly speaking to the people next to them. A few fingers unmistakably pointed at Khan. 

Councilor Udara rose from her chair and slowly approached the edge of the dais. A drone flew closer and hovered over her. The screens all switched to show the Elder. “Welcome, brothers and sisters,” the old woman said, her voice amplified by strategically placed speakers. “Every year, Elementals all across Quintessa gather to honor and celebrate those who came before us, our ancestors, but especially those who against all odds defied their destiny and time itself so that we may be here today. I know you all heard of his return and are excited to see him, but first...let us show him who _we_ are and how well we’ve kept him, and the family he holds so dear, in our own hearts.”

There was a disappointed murmur from the crowd but slowly they began breaking into groups and making room in front of the dais. Ghostly figures weaved their way through the parting crowd and moved to the center of the now open space in front of the dais. When they stopped moving, young women and men materialized with their arms outstretched towards the dais. The screens switched views again to display similar scenes in what Riddick guessed were other parts of Quintessa. There was a pause, then soft music soared from the speakers and the Air Elementals began dancing, disappearing and reappearing in dramatic and sometimes quite acrobatic poses. As the music reached its peak the young women leaped into the air and the men spun quickly, all pairs disappearing and reappearing with the men holding the women by the waist high over their heads. The crowd clapped as the women were gently lowered back on the ground and once again all turned into ghostly figures that dissipated from the stage.

The music changed into a faster beat, loud drums leading the way. A group of people on the edge of the crowd threw off their robes and stepped forward. These men and women wore the bare minimum and their bodies were painted with bright red symbols Riddick didn’t recognize. They too took center stage and held their arms out. Riddick thought he saw something metallic strapped to their fingers, which was confirmed as the performers snapped their fingers with a metallic clink. Sparks flew from their hands and quickly grew into flames. The performers seemed to actually control the flames; even tossing them back and forth between them.

From his peripheral vision, Riddick saw Khan lean forward. The younger man had a look of keen interest in his eyes as he watched the fire performers and an almost manic smile lifted the corners of his mouth before he settled back into his chair. The fire show ended with an impressive display of fire breathing towards the dais that took the shape of a phoenix which almost singed the guards as it flew over them to disappear just over the steps.

As the Fire Elementals left the stage to applause, four women stepped forward, bearing clear glass carafes brimming with water. The women presented their carafes to the dais then slowly poured the water to the ground. Children rushed forward to take the carafes away as the women raised their hands. At first nothing seemed to be happening, then slowly the water at their feet began bubbling and raising off the ground. The music switched to a more playful tune and the women’s fingers began to dance to it. To Riddick’s astonishment jets of water shot up from the ground in rhythm to the music and the women's movements. Each woman’s jets began to spread, fanning out and taking shapes as they met with the ones controlled by their neighbors. As each side collided the water took the shape of a dancing woman, but only for a moment before turning into a prowling sabercat, which quickly exploded into flying birds who dove into the ground and on and on it went the images changing until the end of the music.

As the Water Elementals backed off the stage, the guards standing before the dais moved forward. Four of them stood at the center of the stage, turned to face the dais, and removed their tops while the rest surrounded them. Riddick felt Khan’s interest peak once more, though he knew it wasn’t for the men's impressive physique. These had to be the Earth Elementals.

The four at the center stood perfectly still as the rest closed in on them, raising swords. Riddick heard Nyoka draw a breath and hold it as the swords came slashing down on the men’s chests and backs. There was no blood, however, just a dull ringing sound of metal hitting something solid. The men remained unmoving as the swords came down again on their arms and legs with the same results.

“Impressive,” Riddick said, not realizing he spoke out loud until Khan answered.

“Would be,” the Beastie said for his ears only, and Riddick felt his disappointment through the bond. “If they could do that on the move. Looks like they have to be still to do it though.”

Riddick understood why Khan was disappointed, he could see what an advantage an army with those skills would have when advancing, but he could also think of a few other ways to put them in use. Depending on how fast they could turn into ‘stone’. He kept his thoughts to himself, however, as the demonstration was not over.

The guards put their swords away and all of them bowed before marching off to the sides and behind the dais. They returned a few moments later carrying stones and almost whole tree trunks with ease. Riddick whistled. Some of those stones must’ve weighed between 180-200 kilograms and each man was carrying one alone with barely breaking a sweat.

The men with the massive logs set them up in the middle of the stage, quickly stacking the wood into an upside-down cone shape, while the stones were placed in a circle around them, probably to secure the logs and prevent them from sliding or rolling off and crushing the crowd. Riddick realized they were building the mother of bonfires when the Fire Elementals once again stepped forward and patiently waited for the Earth Elementals to finish.

Councilor Udara stood once more and winked at Khan as she made her way to the front of the dais. “Thank you, everyone!” she said, the little drone once again hovering over her. “And well done, you have all surpassed yourselves today.” She looked over the crowd and smiled. “Now it's time for my favorite part. Messages to the ancestors! Fire Elementals, if you please?”

The guards resumed their places before the dais as the Fire Elementals moved towards the stacked wood. They snapped their fingers, sparks flew into the pile and with a loud whooshing sound flames roared to life. A guard ascended the steps and offered his arm to Udara. He escorted the elder to the pyre where she fished a piece of paper from her robes and let it glide from her hand into the flames. The paper caught on fire and bright burning pieces of it rose to the sky to be carried away.

The other Elders followed suit and once they were all seated again people from the crowd began moving in to offer their own letters to the flames. Riddick saw many carrying or walking their children forward and helping them with their letters. One child, about six or seven, stubbornly held on to her letter, despite her father’s gentle urgings to toss it in. Riddick smiled as the little girl kept glancing between the bonfire and the dais with a confused little frown. He could guess what the little one was thinking and he barked a laugh when the girl finally made up her mind and twisted her hand out of her father’s hold to race towards the dais. She stopped, her eyes wide, as a guard took a step to the side to block her way and her father caught up to her.

“Let the child through,” Khan’s strong voice cut through the commotion. He rose from his chair and approached the edge of the dais. The guards looked over their shoulders at him then stepped to the side. 

The girl, with a little glare at the one who had blocked her way, raced up the steps to Khan. “My letter is for you,” she squeaked, suddenly shy now that she was actually before him, and held up her letter. Her father stood at the bottom of the steps, his expression a mix of awe and terror.

Khan smiled down at the girl, the crowd erupting into murmurs as he took a knee to be at her eye level. “I would be honored to accept your letter,” he said, his voice a soothing purr. “What is your name?”

“Ari,” the girl said, holding out the letter.

Khan accepted it and inclined his head at her. “Thank you, Ari.”

Ari beamed a smile and to everyone’s shock pounced Khan and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. Riddick held back a laugh at Khan’s surprised look, then the Beastie laughed as he hugged the girl back and rose with her in his arms.

“My daddy says that you and Riddick will stop all the monsters,” she said, dead serious, reminding Riddick of another little girl from long ago. She leaned back in Khan’s arms to look him in the eyes. “And that you will bring back the Furyans and the Aqu...Aqui…”

“Aquilans,” Khan said. “Yes, we will.”

“You promise?”

Khan’s head turned towards the girl's father as he answered. “I promise.”

The man finally realized that there was no one stopping him and he cautiously climbed the steps to reclaim his daughter. He bowed and reached for her as the girl held out her arms for the exchange. “Thank you, my Lord,” the man said, hugging his daughter to him and taking the opportunity to study Khan closely. “Thank you.”

The rest of the ceremony went on without any more surprises. Various food vendors made rounds among the crowd and food was brought to them on the dais. There was dancing and more displays of Elemental skills, but with each passing hour, Riddick could feel Khan’s impatience growing. Finally, the sun began to set and the Elders stood to give their final speeches. Drones gathered over the dais to record the closing of the event, the screens all switching to show the dais. Riddick saw Khan grab the chair’s arms and his eyes narrow as the Elders moved forward.

The screens flickered and went blank. Silence fell over the gathered as they slowly realized this was not part of the plan. The Elders looked around in confusion whispering to each other and making gestures at the people trying to fix the screens. The crowd too began to murmur, their collective voices as constant buzz. Udara, cunning old woman, looked back at Khan and raised a white eyebrow at him. Just then the screens came back to life, only they were no longer showing the dais.

Voda looked down from the screens at the crowd below. “My brothers and sisters,” the healer began, her voice booming from speakers all across the city, silencing the crowd as heads turned to watch the screens. “This day has always been an important day in our history. We gather to honor those who came before us. Those seventy-three men and women who made our existence possible. We all know their names, we all know their stories and we all keep them in our hearts. However, there is a special place in our hearts for the one who sacrificed the most for us. He fought for our ancestors when they were helpless and at the mercy of a monster and then, despite his own desires, he gave them up to save them, to save us. Now, he saves us again.

I have been given the greatest honor to reveal to you that a miracle has occurred which ensures our future. Khan Noonien Singh, our greatest Elder, who has returned to us as foretold, from his own blood, he has developed a cure for our gravest affliction." She paused and took a deep breath. "Parents will no longer have only one child to cherish and our children will no longer have to go without sisters and brothers. We now have the treatment that will allow us to bear more than one child.” She paused as voices rose from the crowd and then quickly erupted into cheers as the people realized what the healer was saying. Riddick saw people were now hugging each other with tears in their eyes and throwing flowers in the air. “Brothers and sisters,” she said after a while, recapturing their attention. “The treatment will be available and freely given to all who wish it, no exceptions, no restrictions, by order of Emperor Khan Noonien Singh!” She lifted her chin up proudly. “Long live the Emperor!”

There was no hesitation from the crowd. “Long live the Emperor!” they roared. “Long live the Emperor!” The ground trembled with the intensity of their collective voices. “Long live the Emperor!” The guards too faced the dais, placing their fists over their hearts, they took a knee and joined in on the chant.

The Elders turned slowly to stare at Khan with unconcealed shock and disbelief in their eyes. Khan calmly stared back at them for a moment and then stood, his head slightly tilted back in challenge. Control of the screens switched back to the drones as they flew in and focused on Khan. The cheers from the crowd were now deafening. 

Councilor Udara and Councilor Lasair took a few shaky steps towards Khan and bowed deeply. “Long live the Emperor,” the two women said. Councilors Beinn and N'garu glanced at each other, N’garu bowed first, Beinn followed suit shortly after, even if reluctantly. “Long live the Emperor.”

Udara and Lasair almost seemed pleased, though Riddick could practically smell the uncertainty coming off of all council members. Khan had won and they knew it, their future was now in his hands. When Riddick looked back to the crowd, who in their excitement were moving closer and closer to the dais, he wasn’t the least surprised to see Aereon among them, grinning up at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I again apologize for taking this long to update. This chapter has been a challenge, not only because of RL getting in the way but also trying to get the images in my head into words. A massive thank you to LiteraryHedonism for putting up with me and being such an amazing friend and editor! 
> 
> As always I welcome any and all comments. It's nice to know now and then if people like what I write or not. :)
> 
> For those curious enough...  
> This is how I imagine the Elemental city https://www.pinterest.com/pin/71424344079323594/  
> And this was the inspiration for Khan’s outfit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/71424344079836617/


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Intermission Chapter!**  
>  This means:  
> 1\. I didn't have much time to work on plot, but as today is the anniversary of Riddick/Khan (yup started writing/posting about them a year ago today!), I thought I'll write something to celebrate. Fair warning! This chapter is **90% PORN!** After the first scene it's ALL porn. Enjoy or skip at your own discretion. ;)  
> 2\. It's New Year's Eve! I hope you all have a wonderful and safe time on this last day of 2020. Let us welcome the next one with positivity and determination to make it a great one! I wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2021 <3

***

Khan’s Emperor persona was so different from the man Nyoka had gotten to know, it was almost like seeing a different person. The arrogance and confidence that radiated from the man as he stood to stare the Elders into submission sent a delicious chill down her spine. She was not the least bit surprised to see them bend to his will and take a bow. She could see in her mind’s eye those cold blue eyes that seemed to look straight into your soul at your weaknesses. She had been on the receiving end of it once, when they first met, before they had found a kindred spirit in each other. 

She grinned. Judging by the surprise on their faces, the Elders had really thought that by tucking him away in a tower, and treating him like some honored relic, Khan would be satisfied. That he would play by their rules. For a people that prided themselves on calculating the odds and knowing their history, they had seriously misjudged Khan. The Augment was a conqueror down to the marrow of his bones and he had conquered Quintessa without shedding a single drop of blood.

Khan placed his hand casually on the pommel of his sword and strode forward. He reminded Nyoka of a predator, every movement smooth and calculated, no hesitation. The Elders quickly parted to let him through to the edge of the dais. He looked down at the cheering people gathered below and raised his hand. The silence that followed his gesture was so sudden it left Nyoka’s ears ringing with it.

Every screen was now displaying their new Emperor from the waist up. His expression gave no clues as to the man’s emotions but there was something of a wonder in his blue eyes as he looked over the people. The silence drew on and Nyoka was beginning to worry that Khan was rendered speechless, he then took a deep breath and his expression softened. 

“My heart soars seeing you all.” He said and paused, seeming to hesitate. There was a murmur of approval and encouragement from the crowd. “All those centuries ago, when I placed my family into cryosleep, I dreamed that one day we would find our place in the universe. That one day we would find a world to make our own, live out our lives and...have children.” A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You are the fulfilment of that dream.” He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out the letter the little girl had given him earlier. He looked down at it and rubbed it gently with his thumb when he looked back up at the people, it almost seemed like his eyes were a bit misty though his voice was steady as he went on. “And no words can express the gratitude I feel towards you, for keeping my family, and myself, alive in your hearts all these centuries.”

Nyoka saw many in the crowd dabbing tears from their eyes, others seemed completely mesmerized by the baritone purr of Khan’s voice. At first she had been certain that this was yet another performance to win the crowd over, as she could sense nothing from the Augment, but now she had to wonder if the man didn’t mean every word. She found herself admiring him for that. Among the Necromongers emotions were considered a weakness, but wasn’t fear the real weakness? Khan had no fear in showing his emotions and it worked, even the damn Elders seemed to swoon at Khan’s show of vulnerability after his earlier display of power. If this was an act, it was a damn good one.

“Though I wish all of you were here to celebrate this day with me,” Khan said and turned to gesture at Riddick, Vaako and her to step forward. “So let us also remember on this day those we have lost to the Necromongers. The brothers and sisters from Furya and Aquila.” The crowd murmured sorrowful agreements as they joined Khan at the edge of the dais. “By now you have all heard the rumors that the Necromongers are on the move again. I know you have a lot of questions, that you are scared, but I also know that Augment blood pumps through your veins and Augments don’t give up. We fight with every fiber of our being to survive!” The crowd cheered. “Our existence came under threat many times but we’ve always prevailed and we shall do so again. For Quintessa!” The cheers turned into roars. 

“For Aquila!” A man’s voice rose over the others. “For Furya!” A woman shouted almost at the same time and others picked up their cries.

Caught in the moment Nyoka raised her fist in the air. “For all Augments!”

The crowd went wild, picking up “Augments” as the unified chant, stomping their feet and pumping their fists in the air. Nyoka grinned like a maniac, it seemed that Elementals had some fire in them after all. She looked over at Khan and his smile echoed the pride she felt pulsing through him. He allowed them this moment a while longer before raising his hand for silence once more.

“Everything will change in the coming year,” he said once everyone was quiet again. “War is never easy, but I promise you, I will do everything in my power to protect you and I _will_ defeat the Necromongers, once and for all.” To everyone’s surprise Khan bowed. “As your Emperor, I am here to serve.”

***

Khan barely noticed when the lift door opened on Nyoka’s and Vaako’s floor. Vaako bowed and stepped out, turning to wait for his wife.

Nyoka placed a hand on Khan’s arm and tiptoed to kiss his cheek. “Good night, Emperor,” she said with a genuine smile. “Do try to get some rest,” she added with a meaningful glance at Riddick.

Khan smiled and nodded at them as the door closed and the lift began ascending again. He crossed his arms and sighed. He was Emperor once more and in truth he wasn’t even sure if this was something he truly wanted. He'd originally hoped to convince the Council to work with him. He’d lead the war, they’d continue to run the planet, but in the end they left him no choice but to take over completely. His plan had worked perfectly, so why did he feel so...A low growl startled him out of his circling thoughts and he turned just in time to catch Riddick staring at his ass.

Riddick grinned when he noticed he had been caught. “I hope you’re not _too_ tired, Emperor.”

Khan smiled at his mate, his worries disappearing at the look in the big guys eyes. “I’m never too tired for you,” he purred and moved closer. As soon as he was within range Riddick grabbed him by the waist and swung him around. His back hit the lift's wall hard and the Furyan was on him, pinning him against the wall with his larger body. A tingling feeling went down Khan’s spine at the rough treatment to settle in his groin and he grunted his surprise as Riddick’s mouth covered his own. He opened his mouth to allow Riddick full access and he all but had the breath sucked out of him. Riddick broke the kiss as suddenly as he initiated it and moved to his jaw line and then down to devour his neck. Each graze of the man’s tongue and teeth against his skin sent waves of pleasure though Khan’s body. He gripped Riddick’s bulging biceps and tilted his head back, surrendering control to the larger man. He needed this, this was what he had been missing the first time he had been Emperor. A safe harbor where he could be anything but an Emperor. Riddick’s body slid down against Khan’s as the larger man’s hands grabbed him firmly by the ass and lifted him off the ground just as the door opened. Khan barely had time to wrap his legs around Riddick's waist before the Furyan was on the move.

Riddick didn’t head for the bedroom, however, instead he went straight through their rooms and out onto the balcony. He deposited Khan on the table’s edge and pulled back to remove his goggles. Both of Quintessa’s moons were high up in the night sky and Riddick’s eyes reflected their light as he looked over Khan’s face with an almost predatory expression.

“Here?” Khan whispered. Even though their rooms were at the top of the tower, he still felt exposed being outside.

“Here,” Riddick said firmly, lowering his voice to a deep rumble that made Khan shiver. He grinned wickedly. “Worried about drones?” Khan shivered a second time when the larger man stroked one of his cheekbones with his thumb before reaching further back to tilt his head back by his hair. “What you pulled off today,” Riddick growled as he leaned in, his breath hot on Khan’s neck. “Fucking sexy.”

Riddick’s tongue left a hot trail down Khan’s neck as his free hand slid up his thigh to dip between his legs. Khan felt the large hand cup his crotch and give his already painfully straining and trapped erection a squeeze. He let out a breathy moan at the discomfort mixed with pleasure and wrapped his legs more firmly around Riddick’s waist, desperate for more contact. 

Riddick growled with annoyance when his attempts to kiss further down Khan’s neck were thwarted by his outfit’s high collar. The big man leaned back and eyed the straps and zippers of Khan’s outfit, he then pulled out one of his saber claws. “Not planning on wearing this again, are you?” He said and before Khan could answer he hooked a finger in Khan’s collar and slashed down with the saber claw. The honed blade cut easily through the leather from Khan’s collar down to his navel.

“I guess not,” Khan said with a nervous chuckle. He wasn’t afraid of getting cut but having his clothes removed in such a way was exciting.

Riddick put away his knife and removed the ruined cowl, tossing it over his shoulder, before peeling the leather back from Khan’s shoulders, slowly. He pulled the leather down almost to Khan’s elbows and stopped, effectively trapping his arms to his sides. Riddick leaned back his hands following his gaze over Khan’s naked chest. Khan remained still, breathing shallowly, as Riddick’s bestial eyes roamed over him. It made him feel like a mouse cornered by a cat with no way to escape, only he didn’t want to escape. He was mesmerized by those eyes. 

“Lay back,” Riddick ordered gruffly. 

Khan felt the force of those two words to his core. His breath hitched and his heart sped up. He hadn’t felt this feeling since the very first days he and Riddick had met. It was that same primal force that had torn down his walls and allowed the Bond to form. The cold surface of the table against his back was almost a surprise as his body obeyed before his mind had the time to analyze it. When Riddick leaned over him, shadows casting his face into a dark mask with glowing eyes, Khan felt something akin to fear which only grew when he tried to move his arms and couldn’t.

Riddick removed his own shirt then reached down and further ripped Khan’s suit with his bare hands, finally releasing him. Khan felt a moment's relief before Riddick’s warm hand wrapped around his shaft and gave it a rough tug.

“Like being scared?” Riddick growled, rubbing a calloused thumb over the sensitive skin of Khan’s glands, smearing precum down along the slit as he began to stroke him. 

Khan whimpered and all logic was blasted from his mind as that domineering aura washed over him stronger than before. Riddick bent over him, claiming a nipple with his mouth, his tongue circling the sensitive area before biting down hard enough to sting.

Khan moaned and arched his back, his arms straining against the leather as Riddick kissed across his chest to repeat his maddening torture on his other nipple. This time Khan cried out and wrapped his legs tighter around Riddick’s waist, lifting his hips, trying to get himself over the edge that loomed so close. 

Instead Riddick stood up, let go of his shaft, and growled a warning. Khan froze under the Furyan’s gaze. “If you want to cum, you’ll have to beg for it.”

Khan stared back, he loosened the grip of his legs around Riddick’s waist and rubbed his inner thighs suggestively against the larger man’s sides. 

Riddick smirked and caressed his legs. “Not good enough.” He unbuckled his belt and pulled down his pants. “This what you want?” Riddick purred. “Say please. Sweet like.”

Khan’s eyes dropped down as Riddick began stroking himself. He bit his lip taking a moment to watch before locking eyes with Riddick. “Please,” he said, his voice barely squeezing out of his throat. “Please,” he said a second time, louder.

Riddick stopped stroking himself and tilted his head. He reached out and pulled down the leather outfit just enough to release Khan’s arms. “Get up,” he said and stepped back.

Khan slid off the table, and leaned against it as his legs were too shaky to fully support him. He eyed Riddick warily, his mind desperately running in circles trying to figure out the man’s next move.

“Pull that down and bend over the table,” Riddick ordered and that feeling of fear and pleasure vibrated through Khan’s body again as he obeyed. He turned to face the table, catching a glimpse of the city below, before he bent his body over the cold surface and pulled down his suit, exposing his ass to Riddick. “That’s a good Beastie,” Riddick purred, stroking his ass, the fear subsiding as Riddick’s touch became gentle.

Khan rested his forehead on the table and took a couple of deep breaths. “Do it again,” he said. Riddick’s hands stilled and for a moment Khan thought Riddick didn’t understand what he was asking for, then the wave of fear came over him again and he clawed at the table as he felt a stirring in his loins and his balls tighten.

Riddick’s hands squeezed hard on his ass, spreading his cheeks, his hot shaft rubbing against Khan’s crease slowly. The head teasing his center and slipping off, making the anticipation maddening. “Submission suits you, Beastie” Riddick growled. “Beautiful.”

Khan shivered as a sense of thrill shot through his body and his cock twitched at those words. He rose to his elbows and pushed back. “Fuck me...claim me,” he breathed, “Please.”

One of Riddick’s hands left his ass long enough to guide his cock to Khan’s entrance. He felt the thick head press against his rim, slowly pushing in. He let his head drop between his shoulders and braced himself as he felt Riddick firmly grab hold of his hips. With one sharp, brutal thrust Riddick buried himself inside him with a low satisfied rumble that sent a chill down Khan’s spine along with the searing pain and pleasure.

There was a pause, like the calm before the storm, and then that aura of fear hit him again as Riddick began to pound him against the table. Each brutal thrust speared him with pain and pleasure. The sounds of their grunts and skins slapping together filled Khan’s ears, pushing him closer and closer to the edge. He gave in to the need and reached between his legs, stroking himself in time with Riddick’s thrusts.

“Harder,” he moaned. “Faster...Riddick.”

With a growl Riddick slapped his ass hard and picked up the pace. Moving his hands so he could spread Khan’s asscheeks further and bury himself even deeper with each thrust. Khan’s vision began to darken at the edges from the intensity of it all and his heart beat against his ribcage as if it was about to break free. He squeezed his shaft as he felt that familiar coiling in his loins, wanting it to last a bit longer. Riddick chose that moment to adjust his angle, hitting that spot just right. Khan let out a guttural moan as the intensity of his orgasm washed over him, weakening his knees, a second later Riddick thrust deep and held, jerking inside him as he reached his own release. 

***

Riddick looked down at that perfectly smooth ass with his cock still buried inside it. He grinned, he could feel the younger man’s body trembling as Khan’s legs barely held him up anymore. He kept his hands on Khan’s hips to steady him as he pulled out slowly, taking in every moment and enjoying the younger man’s soft mewl as the head popped out. He rubbed his cock, slick with his release, between Khan’s asscheeks. “I love how you’re always so tight,” he murmured as he bent over the smaller body and kissed the moist skin of his back. “No matter how well fucked.” He felt Khan shiver and grinned. He very much wanted to go again, but he sensed that Khan had reached his limit for today. He wrapped an arm around the younger man’s heaving chest, pulling him up and turning him over. Khan blinked dazedly up at him as Riddick picked him up in his arms.

Riddick chuckled and kissed Khan’s forehead as he carried him inside. “You want to wash up or straight to bed?”

“Wash up,” Khan mumbled, his head resting heavily on Riddick’s shoulder. Riddick angled his head to look down at Khan’s face, his suspicion confirmed. Out like a light.

He hesitated then headed for the bedroom. He lowered Khan gently on the bed and then carefully removed his boots and the remnants of his suit. Riddick realized how exhausted the Beastie must’ve been when he didn’t even twitch at being manhandled while he slept. A strong need to protect him came over Riddick. He stroked Khan’s fringe back from his forehead and watched him sleep for a bit before he headed to the bathroom. 

He took a moment to get out of his own pants and clean up before returning to the bedroom with a wet cloth for Khan. He nudged him gently and only got a little groan of protest. Riddick smiled and gently rolled him over to his side, he cleaned him as best he could and covered him with a sheet. “Sleep well, Beastie,” he whispered, patting his ass before leaving the room.

He poured himself a drink and headed back out to the balcony. He felt his cock twitch as he looked at the table and his mind helpfully supplied a mental image of Khan, bent over it, begging him to fuck him. He resisted the urge to go back into the bedroom and do just that, stupor or not, instead he headed to the stone railing, taking a swing of his drink and looking out over the sleeping city. He put the glass on the railing and leaned on his elbows.

He had thought Khan would be on a power high after what he had accomplished earlier this day, yet when Riddick kissed him in the lift, he instead sensed a deep need to let go of that power. It was mostly curiosity when Riddick tried to use his ‘animal thing’ on Khan, he hadn’t really expected the Beastie to submit to it, to be turned on by the fear it sparked, and he definitely hadn’t anticipated him asking him to ‘do it again’.

He grunted and reached down to palm his hardening cock. He closed his eyes and pictured Khan, laying half naked on the table, his legs wrapped around his waist, those big blue eyes looking up at him with fear and lust. He began stroking himself, picturing Khan watching him, the breathy ‘please’ coming out of his pretty mouth. He moaned and jerked himself faster as his mind jumped further back, to the first time he had fucked Khan. How sexy he had found his lack of experience and how good it had felt to finally plunge himself in that tight ass. He loved that he didn’t have to hold back, he could fuck as hard as he wanted and Khan would ask for more. He gripped the railing with his free hand and growled as he remembered the beautiful sounds Khan had made as he twisted and writhed beneath him, reaching his second orgasm. Riddick pumped his cock harder, squeezing it as it began to pulse. He grunted and tugged harder as he reached his orgasm and spilled his seed over the edge of the balcony. 

He rested his head on the railing and chuckled. “Long live the Emperor.”

He caught his breath, finished his drink and went back to the bedroom. Khan was as he left him. Riddick lifted the sheet and slided in behind him, moving close and wrapping an arm around him.

Khan stirred and shivered. “You’re cold,” he complained sleepily.

Riddick chuckled and pulled him closer. “And you’re warm,” he said, kissing the back of his neck and closing his eyes.

***

Riddick grunted at the sound of the door chime and blinked as he opened his eyes to bright light. He slowly got out of bed, careful not to wake Khan, and wrapped a sheet around his waist. He shuffled to the bedroom door, trying to remember where the hell he had tossed his goggles last night. He growled when the chime sounded again and closed the bedroom door before heading to the entrance.

“Keep it down, will ya,” he growled at the servants. “Khan is still sleeping.”

“Our apologies, Lord Riddick,” the servant closest whispered. “It’s almost noon and we thought you might be hungry.”

“Noon?” Riddick said surprised and stepped to the side to let them in.

The man nodded as he walked past him with his tray, the others squeezed past Riddick more timidly. “I hope we didn’t everstep, but Lady Nyoka suggested you might want to skip breakfast today.”

“I’ll make note to thank her later,” Riddick grumbled and headed to the balcony. He squinted his eyes at the bright light and saw his goggles under the table. He secured his sheet around his waist and snatched them up before the servants followed him outside. He put them on and looked at the servants, had to give it to them, they all had impenetrable poker faces.

“Shall we serve lunch here, my Lord?” the man asked.

Riddick grinned, remembering Khan asking ‘here?’ last night. “Here,” he said and walked back inside. “And then go.”

The servants were used to setting up quickly and then leaving. Khan wasn’t the type to keep them around to wait on him hand and foot. He preferred to have his meals in peace. Once the servants left Riddick went back to the bedroom. It seemed Khan had heard the commotion as he was now laying on his back with an arm flung over his eyes. Riddick sensed that the Beastie was awake but still reluctant to get out of bed. He smiled and let his sheet drop to the ground, then he slowly pulled Khan’s sheet down. He removed his goggles and looked over the wiry body, admiring the lean muscle definition. Khan’s body reminded him of those fancy statues people liked so much. His eyes settled on Khan’s groin, it was still strange to see a man so hairless, but also fascinating. He crawled onto the edge of the bed and kissed Khan’s knee. 

The younger man twitched but didn’t uncover his eyes. “That tickles,” he said, his voice still husky from sleep.

Riddick ignored the comment and nudged Khan’s legs further apart. He continued kissing up, moving to the inside of Khan’s thigh. The younger man’s body shuddered slightly and his breath stuttered as Riddick licked the soft skin of his inner thigh. Riddick felt Khan stirr as he licked even further up, close to the man’s balls. He looked up and saw Khan had uncovered his face and raised his head to watch him. The young man's brows were drawn together and his lips were pursed with confusion. It was a cute look on him that made Riddick grin before he nuzzled Khan’s balls. He kept eye contact with him and saw the line between the younger man’s brows disappear as his eyes widened.

Riddick held Khan’s eyes with his own as he opened his mouth and gently sucked on the smooth, soft skin of Khan’s balls, letting his tongue press and drag against it. Khan’s mouth dropped slightly open with a strangled gasp and he tried to pull away. Riddick grabbed the younger man’s hips to hold him in plase. He knew Khan’s reaction was out of shock at something new rather than any real resistance. The slowly hardening shaft was proof of that.

He tightened his grip on Khan’s hips and dragged him closer so his head was over the man’s shaft. “Now be a good boy,” he rumbled. “This is new for me too.” He smirked. “But, as your Consort, I’m here to serve.” When Khan’s mouth only worked soundlessly in response, Riddick lowered his head and licked along the half-hard shaft, feeling it fully harden as he reached the tip. He teased the head with the tip of his tongue, letting it slide under and around the glans, forcing it just inside the slit.

Khan’s legs and hips buckled up, and from his peripheral vision, Riddick saw Khan’s hands grip and twist into the sheets as he moaned low and arched his back. Riddick wrapped his lips around the head and sucked, circling his tongue over the sensitive glan as he did so. Khan got louder and to Riddick’s amusement tried to push further into his mouth. He held him down, waiting for the moment Khan’s moans turned into needy half whimpers before he sucked more of him into his mouth. He pressed his tongue up against the smooth shaft and gave his head a few shallow bobs before pulling all the way out to once more tease around the glans and look at Khan.

The younger man’s head was tilted back, his jaw working up and down as he gasped for air and moaned. Every muscle in his body flexed, straining to keep control. The sight was too much and Riddick reached down to give his own hard cock a squeeze. He took Khan back into his mouth, this time taking in as much of him as he could. He swallowed and hummed around the thick shaft and he worked him in and out of his mouth, watching as Khan lost all control, his head whipping left and right as his fist struck the mattress repeatedly.

“Riddick!” Was all the warning the younger man managed to give him before his hips convulsed and his seed spilled into Riddick’s mouth.

He pulled slightly back just in time, then sucked Khan through his orgasm. He kept sucking and licking him clean even after Khan slumped back onto the bed, panting to catch his breath. As Khan’s shaft began to soften Riddick sucked back to the tip and let it pop out of his mouth with an audible sound. He grinned when Khan looked down at him, still dazed. 

“Had fun?” Riddick asked playfully, crawling further up the bed and placing himself between Khan’s legs. The younger man watched him silently, obviously at a loss for words. Riddick reached to the bedside table and retrieved the lube, applying a generous amount on his throbbing cock. Khan’s eyes watching him as he stroked himself sent a thrill down his spine. He poured some more lube on his fingers and rubbed it on Khan’s entrance, pushing a finger inside and pressing it up against the man’s prostate. Khan’s hips jerked slightly and he hummed with pleasure. Riddick kept working on the younger man’s prostate until his cock began to harden again. He then leaned over him, guided his cock to Khan’s entrance and grabbed his wrists, trapping them next to his head. They locked eyes as Riddick slowly plunged into Khan’s warm depths and bottomed out. He paused a moment, enjoying the tightness around his cock. He saw Khan’s pupils dilate and the smaller man braced himself as he knew what was coming. “Don’t move,” Riddick growled and began pounding Khan’s ass hard and fast, his climax rising fast to the surface with each brutal thrust. He kept his eyes on the younger man’s face as he fucked him, taking in every expression, every moany breath. There was something to be said about having an Emperor at your mercy and Riddick came hard and fast, burying his cock balls deep as he came.

He collapsed over Khan’s body, both breathing as if they had just run a marathon. “Lunch,” Riddick tried and had to take a few more breaths. “Lunch’s here, by the way.”

Khan held his breath a moment, then laughed. Riddick rose to his elbows and looked down at him then started laughing too. They laughed until they were out of breath again and had to slow down to the occasional chuckle.

“I never did get that shower, did I?” Khan said.

“No,” Riddick murmured and nuzzled his cheek. “But I like you smelling like sex.”

Khan scrunched up his face. “I’d rather smell like soap,” he said, and nudged Riddick’s side. “You can join me, if you want.”

Riddick grinned. “I’ll join.” He kissed him. “But I won’t promise to behave.”

“Insatiable,” Khan murmured with a grin of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who have left me comments and kudos!
> 
> As this is an anniversary chapter I really hope you will consider leaving me a comment on what you think of the story so far! Maybe a favorite moment, which character you like most, or even just something as simple as Hi!...whatever you feel like sharing. :)
> 
> See you all next year! <3


	14. Chapter 14

Khan leaned back into the sofa and watched as Nyoka paced in front of him, excited about her new discovery. She had taken to wearing the Elemental loose fitting dresses and he guessed the slight bump of her belly was the reason why. He grinned, she still added a flare of her own to the garments, though. Usually, something to do with snakes.

She snapped her fingers in his face causing him to blink and look up at her. “Are you even listening to me?” she scolded.

He looked at her with a sheepish smile at being caught staring. “Of course. My guess is that because you were suppressing memories of your past, your ancestral memories were also being suppressed.”

“Well, yes, probably,” Nyoka said carefully, raising her eyebrow and placing her hands on her hips. She paced away and turned to glare. “Though that was not the point of my story!”

“You found Furya,” Khan said calmly, holding back a chuckle.

“Yes,” Nyoka said, frowning in confusion. “I thought you’d be more excited!”

“I am excited,” he said, cocking his head. “I’m just not in the habit of jumping up and down giggling with joy.” He chuckled as he caught a flying couch pillow aimed at his head. “You did well, Nyoka...but you need to work on your aim.” He smirked at her.

“I know I did well, you ass!” Nyoka snapped, then smiled as she realized he was playing with her. “Oh, sorry, I meant _Your Imperial Ass_.” She cocked her hip and crossed her arms. “So, what is it? What has you so distracted? Worried about Riddick and Vaako?”

Khan shrugged. “No, Riddick and Vaako can handle themselves and I doubt anyone in the city would mean them harm.” He tossed the pillow on the sofa and sighed. “It's just been a long couple of days.”

“Ah,” Nyoka said and glided over to sit next to him. She looked at him in a way that told him she was gearing up to tease him about his bedroom activities.

“Please don’t,” he said, hating the heat rising to his cheeks.

Nyoka smirked her victory. “Please don’t...what?” she asked innocently.

Khan cleared his throat. “So...where is Furya, exactly?” he said, knowing when he was beaten.

Nyoka beamed at him and held up the map device before placing it on the table in front of them. “It’s actually closer than I even dared to hope. With these new ships you’re designing, it should take...less than a week to get there?”

Khan sat up and leaned forward as she activated the device. He took note of how she paused on a small planet, an expression of regret briefly fleeting over her features, before she moved on to a much larger planet. Like Quintessa, it too seemed to be Earth-like. Vast oceans divided by lush, green land masses, and white clouds swirling in the sky. He studied the map's distance calculations, if they waited until Aereon’s ship was ready, a week's travel seemed about right.

“It doesn’t look like that now,” Nyoka said. “This representation is from before the Necromonger invasion. From what I’ve seen through Shirah’s vision, it's mostly desert and graveyards now. That’s what the Icons do, they wipe out everything.”

To a normal human her voice would’ve sounded strong, cold even, but Khan could hear the undertones of deep sorrow and guilt. “Not everything,” he said softly. “There are Furyans still surviving there. You can’t survive on sand and rocks.”

She looked at him thoughtfully and nodded. “I suppose that makes sense,” Her expression grew grim. “Though it can’t be an easy life. We need to go find them.”

He smiled at the passion in her voice and took her hand in his own. They all came far since they met, but Nyoka came the furthest, though she’d never admit it. “We will, little sister.” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “As soon as a ship is ready, I promise.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Little sister?” she huffed. “Well, now you’ve done it, dashed my last hopes for an orgy.” She laughed at his blushing and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I would be honored to be your sister.”

Khan nodded, trying to hide how much that had warmed his heart. “Speaking of family,” he said. “It was brought to my attention that you haven’t been examined by a physician yet. Voda offered her services.”

She gave him an incredulous look. “Voda? Really? That lanky...witch, hates my guts.”

“She regrets her earlier behavior and I trust her. She’s proven herself loyal and I’m sure she will do her best to make you comfortable from now on. Give her another chance?”

Nyoka sighed. “I suppose I could.” She rubbed her belly and smiled. “It’s a girl, you know. Shirah told me.” She looked into his eyes. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to name her Suzette.”

His eyes widened in surprise and he felt a jolt of excitement. It was rare that he struggled to find words. “I…” He looked away and blinked back tears as a flood of emotions took him over. He took a deep breath and looked back at Nyoka, no longer caring if she saw how much that had touched him. “I would love that,” he said and managed a smile. “She would have too.”

Nyoka scooted closer, her eyes suddenly brimming too. She wiped a tear from his cheek before she wrapped her arms around his bicep and rested her head on his shoulder. “Then tell me about her.”

***

Riddick was thankful for the Elemental love of loose robes and hoods, that way he and Vaako didn’t stand out like sore thumbs when they made their way through the city to the smugglers den. Not that they had any real need for secrecy, but they weren’t just two more faces in the crowd anymore either.

The place was relatively quiet. It was still early in the day for under the table dealings but the bar was open and that suited Riddick just fine. He led Vaako to the table he had sat at the first time he was there and ordered them a couple of beers.

“What do you think the Emperor will do with this place once he legitimizes open trade with other planets?” Vaako asked once their beers came and the waiter left.

“What do you mean?” Riddick asked, picking up his beer and downing half of it. “And call him Khan already, get that stick out of your ass.”

Vaako gave him an annoyed glance before he picked up his own beer. “I mean,” he began and glanced around them. “With trade becoming legal soon, this place could be a problem. I’m sure there are things even the...Khan won’t approve of.”

Riddick grunted and looked around them as he considered what Vaako was saying. He doubted the Elementals were dealing in the more shady operations that went on on other planets, but that didn’t mean those things wouldn’t worm their way in, once Quintessa was no longer off limits. “I doubt this is the only hole in the ground that they have and there will always be those that want certain things and those that procure those things for them.”

Vaako leaned forward. “So, is it wise to just give them this technology?”

Riddick shrugged. “He’s not just _giving_ it to them. Why do you think we’re here? Khan has a plan, he always does.” He waved to the waiter to bring them two more beers. “And if we don't keep our end of the bargain they’ll just...procure it for themselves, eventually. But, these _Watchers_ are all horny for Khan so I doubt they’ll go against his will. Especially after tomorrow and what he plans to do for them. It's the off world traders we’ll need to be wary of...what are you grinning at?”

“You,” Vaako said, his grin a bit smug. “You don’t even notice it, do you?”

“What?” Riddick grumbled, frowning.

“If _we_ don’t keep our end... _we’ll_ need to be wary of... _you_ , my friend, got tamed. Even when you were Lord Marshal you were not this involved in what went on outside your bedroom. And if Nyoka is to be believed, there’s a lot going on in your bedroom these days too.”

Riddick chuckled. “Look who’s talking. Doting husband and expecting father.” He tilted his head studying Vaako’s reaction. “How are you dealing with all that, by the way?”

Vaako looked down at his beer. “It’s terrifying,” he said and barked a small laugh. “But it also feels right. I can’t explain it.”

Riddick stared at the man, trying to remember if he had ever heard him laugh like that before. “You and Nyoka changed a lot.”

Vaako nodded. “I feel different, more at ease in some ways. I know there’s a war coming but, strangely enough, we don’t feel like our lives are in constant danger anymore. I clung to the faith, Nyoka looked for safety in gaining power but we always had to struggle to keep those things.” He looked up at Riddick. “When I brought you and Khan to the Necropolis, I didn’t understand why you would leave _your_ safety for him but I think I get it now. Because of what and who we were I didn’t even trust my own wife. Now, I would go to the end of the world and beyond for her...and our daughter.”

“You keep what you kill isn’t really a trust building foundation,” Riddick agreed. “Did you say daughter?”

Vaako smiled. “That’s what Nyoka tells me. She wants to name her after Khan’s sister.”

Riddick smiled back. “I’m sure Khan will be honored by that. Those two sure got chummy fast.”

“Does that bother you? I know you and Nyoka didn’t always see eye to eye.”

Riddick chuckled. “More like she wanted to claw my eyes out. No, I don’t mind. Khan is the kind of beastie that needs a pack, a family. I’m glad he’s making one here.” He saw Vaako’s expression change as the man looked down at his beer again, thoughtfully rotating his glass. “What?”

Vaako looked back at him and Riddick saw something in the man’s eyes he never thought he’d see there. “I’m glad he and Nyoka get along, though I don’t think he likes me much.”

In the past, Riddick would have laughed, but Vaako was no longer the cold Necromonger he once knew. He was now a man looking for his place in a new, and unknown to him, world and Khan was the only secure tether around. Riddick also realized that he was the man’s only friend, a strange concept for both of them. “Khan likes you just fine. Want my advice?” He removed his goggles and leaned forward. “Stop treating him like he’s your Lord Marshal. Even in private you’re my Lord this, my Lord that, you’re too damn formal.”

“He _is_ the Emperor.”

“You offered him your life once, remember what he told you?”

“That he won’t accept it, but he would accept a friend…but things have changed. He wasn’t Emperor then.”

Riddick sighed. “Circumstances changed, Khan hasn’t. You’re the one keeping him at arm's length, he’s just respecting that.” He cocked his head and looked him in the eye. “Khan doesn’t want or need another soldier...he’ll have plenty of those now. What he needs is family, a friend that can give it to him straight.” He grinned. “And I know you have it in you, never gave me any fucking respect when I was Lord Marshal.”

Vaako grinned back. “Gave you more respect than you deserved, fish eyes.”

Riddick laughed. “See? That’s the reason you were the only Commander I liked, Vaako, and dare I say, trusted. You know, just as well as I do, that it’s just as lonely at the top as it is at the bottom.”

“Speaking of friends,” Vaako said, tilting his head. “Here they come.”

Riddick turned his head and grinned when he saw Adela heading their way with baby Kirk in tow. “Good job with the screens,” he told her, once she and her son joined them.

“That was mostly my son,” she said, and gave baby Kirk a brief but proud smile. “He has a way with computers.”

The young man leaned in, his baby blue eyes practically sparkling with excitement. “I only redirected the feeds but what the Emperor did was amazing! I knew it’d be something big but that was...is it true? About the cure?”

“Of course it is,” Vaako said, managing to sound insulted. “The Emperor doesn’t lie.”

Riddick bit his tongue. Khan would lie if it suited him, but he saw no reason to go around bursting bubbles now. “It’s true, he and Voda have been working on it night and day for a while now. He’s also been working on the plans to refit your ships.”

Baby Kirk’s eyes widened. “Does he ever sleep?”

Riddick chuckled, the boy had it bad. “At least once a week.”

“I guessed he was planning a coup of some kind,” Adela said. “To be honest I expected violence, but that...that was a game changer. History always spoke of his violent nature coupled with his brilliance, now he showed us that the two need not coincide. Instead, he gave us hope for new life. Our eyes are open.”

Riddick nodded and felt pride for his beastie. It was true that though he lived up to the legend he was also so much more that history had forgotten. “He also gave you a few other tasks to do, last time we met. Any news on that?”

Adela nodded. “We sent a couple of our fastest ships at the coordinates Lord Vaako gave us. When the Necromongers return to known space those ships will haul ass back here to warn us. We also have ships out looking for any Aquilan outposts that might still be operational and marking down ones that can be repaired. We should have a reliable enough network set up long before the Necromongers reappear, if the time estimate you gave us is correct.”

“It should be correct,” Vaako said. “The way to the Threshold is long and treacherous, not even Krone will dare attempt any shortcuts.”

“I hope you’re right, though those faster ships would be very useful about now,” she said with meaning. “We also told everyone to spread the word at every planet, space station, and even ships they come across.”

“Good,” Riddick said, impressed at how fast the smugglers were following Khan’s orders. If the Council had been half as cooperative they would’ve been much further along in preparing for this war. “You did well. Now, Khan wants you, Gerald, and two more from your numbers, preferably people with good rep and influence, to visit him at the palace tomorrow.”

“At the palace?” Adela asked uncomfortably.

Riddick nodded. “You will be expected, no one will stop you from entering. Floga, his assistant, will meet you at the gates to escort you in.”

“May I know what this meeting will be about?”

Riddick grinned. “Khan is a man of his word, you kept your end of the bargain, so will he.” He looked at Vaako and they both rose. “Sunup, tomorrow, Lady Adela. Don’t be late.”

***

“Where do you think you’re going?” 

Riddick’s question, and the amusement in his voice, made Vaako hesitate between the lift doors.

He frowned back at the Furyan. “My wife and rooms?”

Riddick snorted. “Oh please. You should know by now that as soon as you left she went straight upstairs.”

Vaako looked at the door leading to his rooms and back at Riddick. He smiled and shook his head. “You’re right,” he said. “What was I thinking?” He stepped back from the doors, allowing them to close, and the lift resumed its ascent. “She did have some big news to share with him.”

“The baby name?” Riddick asked curiously.

Vaako shifted his stance. He hadn’t considered that the news would probably mean more to Riddick than Khan. The Furyan usually had an aloof interest about finding his home planet, at least on the surface, but Vaako had seen him looking through the Necromonger maps of past conquests often, before he’d had enough of being their Lord Marshal. He shook his head. “About Furya.” He watched Riddick’s face carefully. The Furyan had his goggles on but Vaako thought he saw a slight twitch on the man’s features. “She believes she’s found its location.”

A grunt was the only response Riddick made as the lift doors opened again. The guards let them into Khan’s rooms with a respectful bow and no comment. Vaako smiled as the first thing he heard entering was his wife’s laughter coming from the balcony, followed by a giggle from Floga and the more reserved chuckle of the Emperor.

“You have guts, little one, I wish I could’ve seen their faces,” Nyoka was saying as Vaako and Riddick stepped out onto the balcony. Floga was smiling ear to ear as she basked in Nyoka’s praise.

Khan, who had been leaning against the balcony’s railing watching the two women with a fond smile and half-lidded eyes, noticed them first. He looked up and his smile grew as his eyes fell on Riddick. “Welcome back,” the Emperor said.

Vaako resisted the urge to bow when those blue eyes turned to him next and gave a polite nod instead. He saw amusement in Khan’s eyes as the Augment nodded back.

Nyoka rose and approached him. “Welcome back, my love,” she said and tiptoed for a kiss.

“How did it go?” Khan asked.

“As expected,” Riddick said, shrugging. “They’ll be there.”

“He didn’t really give them time to argue,” Vaako added.

Riddick removed his goggles and grinned at Khan. “Baby Kirk was there,” the Furyan said and Khan’s eyes narrowed. “Seems like he had been the one to handle the camera feeds. Adela said he has a way with computers, could be useful.” He paused and his grin turned mischievous. “And he is oh so eager to _serve_ you. Should I have brought him back with us?”

Vaako watched curiously as Khan’s cheeks flushed and the Augment looked away, clearing his throat. “What about the orders I gave them?” He asked, ignoring Riddick’s question.

“Followed them to the letter,” Riddick replied, unphased. “They have ships out patrolling the coordinates Vaako gave them, and others spreading the word of your return and coming war.”

“Good, we can go over the details during dinner,” Khan said, pushing off the railing and turning to Floga. “Arrange it and come back to join us.”

“Right away, my Lord,” the girl said and rushed out to inform the servants.

Nyoka detached herself from Vaako’s arm and glided over to Riddick. The Furyan looked down at her with mild surprise when she wrapped a slender arm around his massive one. “Would you like to see home, big guy?” she purred at him and pulled him inside.

Vaako grinned, remembering the first time they had met Riddick. It was amusing how his wife just assumed he would follow, and yet she was right. The Furyan meekly allowed her to lead him with a bemused expression on his face. 

Vaako chuckled, shaking his head, and turned to find Khan watching him. His smile faded as he found himself unsure how to act around the man now that they were alone. This was why he liked formality, it made things easier. “Not going to join them?” he asked, biting down from adding ‘my Lord’.

Khan shrugged, a small smirk tugging the corner of his mouth. “I’ve seen it.”

“Ah, of course.” The silence stretched between them until suddenly Khan chuckled. Vaako frowned, aware that the Augment found his awkwardness amusing and unsure how to react.

“Did I cure the cocky out of you along with the conversion?” Khan asked with a lopsided grin. “Because I clearly remember you calling me Riddick’s boy and then wanting to throw me in a cell.”

Vaako gaped. “You heard that?”

Khan’s grin grew wider. “Augmented hearing.”

Vaako clicked his mouth shut, trying to remember everything he might’ve said within Khan’s range. He looked into Khan’s eyes, slowly realizing that Khan was teasing him. The man did take over a whole planet within a few weeks, he was smart enough to see through Vaako’s fumbled attempt at becoming more part of his pack. Like Riddick had pointed out, Khan didn’t want or need another soldier, he wanted a family. The playful teasing was the Augment’s way of showing Vaako that he was welcome. Vaako smirked. “Actually, I almost ordered you shot the moment I saw you.”

Khan raised his eyebrows in mock surprise and laughed. “Can’t say I blame you,” he said and tilted his head. “I can have that effect on people.” 

“It’s the ice cold eyes,” Vaako said, gesturing at his own eyes for emphasis.

Khan chuckled. “Floga tells me you play a mean game of three dimensional chess.”

“Mean enough to beat you,” Vaako said smugly.

Khan crossed his arms, his own grin just as smug. “Challenge accepted,” he said.

***

Khan reached the doors to the meeting hall just as Floga was coming out. Her brow was furrowed as she closed the door behind her but it disappeared as soon as she saw him.

“My Lord,” the young Elemental said with a deep bow. The two guards on each side of the doors bowing along with her. “The Council is inside waiting for you. I’m on my way to bring the rest of your guests.”

“Thank you, Floga,” Khan said with a genuine smile. He had made a good choice in picking Floga for his personal service. She was a noble, so she knew her way around palace politics and how to handle her peers, and she was young enough to not be set in her ways. He had been pleasantly surprised to learn that she had been the reason the Council didn’t come knocking on his door immediately after his takeover. She had politely but firmly kept them at bay, giving Khan that one day he needed to set the next phase of his plan into motion. “You may go spend some time with Nyoka once the meeting begins, if you’d like.”

The girl smiled. “Thank you, My Lord, I will.”

Khan entered the meeting hall and paused as the Council members rose and bowed. He acknowledged them with a slight nod and resumed walking. He was pleased to see the changes he had requested had been implemented. In place of the semicircular table the Council had used, with a single chair across from it for ‘visitors’, there was now a large meeting table. On each side of the long table there were six plain, yet comfortable chairs. He could sense the Council’s confusion about the extra chairs, especially since Floga had them all seated on one side, leaving the other six chairs across from them empty. He moved to the head of the table, where a larger, elaborate chair waited for him.

“Good morning, Councilors,” he said calmly, standing before his chair and looking over the Council members. They murmured their good mornings and remained standing, waiting for his next move. Councilor Beinn looked like he had a toad in his mouth trying to escape, the other three looked curious but less inclined to speak first.

The door opened again and Aereon came gliding in, Voda following closely behind her. The two women bowed. “Good morning, Your Imperial Majesty,” they said.

Khan nodded and gestured for them to take the two seats on his left. As the two women came to stand next to their chairs the door opened again and Floga stepped in with the four smuggler leaders. She escorted them to the seats next to Aereon and Voda under a heavy silence.

Adela was the first to recover, turning towards Khan and bowing. “My Lord, we come to serve,” she said and her companions were quick to follow suit.

“What is the meaning of this?” Councilor Beinn burst out, unable to hold it in any longer. “Who are these people?”

“This,” Khan said, adding some ice to his gaze and voice as he looked at the old Councilor, “is the first official meeting of the new Council.” Eyes flew wide all around, except for Aereon, who lowered hers to hide her amusement. “Speak to me in that tone again, _Councilor_ , and I will have you expelled from it.” Beinn’s mouth closed with an audible click. Khan held his gaze a bit longer before sitting down and looking at everyone there. “You may be seated. Councilor Aereon, if you please.”

“Thank you, my Lord,” Aereon began once everyone was seated. “And welcome everyone to the first meeting of the reformed Council. Keep in mind that this is a temporary Council which will serve until the war with the Necromongers is over. In the future, members of the Council will be chosen through election by the citizens of Quintessa. The Council will consist of four members from the noble houses, four members from the general public, and four members appointed by the Emperor himself.” She paused and took a deep breath. “All twelve members of the Council will hold equal position and power, however, final rule on decisions made by the Council must be approved by the Emperor. The Council will also retain their position as Regents in the event that the Emperor is absent or incapacitated, until such a time as an Heir is appointed. The Council will henceforth serve as advisors to the Emperor and continue to serve as officials to his Imperial Majesty's executive power on Quintessa, answerable only to Him.” Khan tried not to grin when she briefly looked at Beinn before adding. “Any who disagree may be excused from serving on the Council.”

Khan leaned back in his chair and looked over the stunned faces around him. “Any questions?” 

“My Lord?” Councilor Udara inquired and continued at Khan’s nod of acknowledgment. “Councilor Aereon said we are to have twelve members? I only see ten here.”

“Those seats will be filled by a Furyan and an Aquilan when we reunite with them. For now, Riddick and Vaako will serve in their place as needed.”

“Assuming any others survive,” the old woman said, her tone gentle.

“Nyoka has made contact with Furyan survivors,” Khan said. “We also have their location.”

Adela sat up straighter. “If I may, my Lord? There are also Aquilan survivors out there, we have made contact with a few in the past, after the destruction of their homeworld. They are scattered but I’m sure they will come when they hear about your return.” She eyed the original Council members with some disdain. “And if Quintessa finally welcomes them.”

“We were only trying to preserve the safety of our own people,” Councilor Beinn snapped.

“They were our allies!” Adela snapped back. “And you turned them away!”

“We didn’t have enough data to know the intentions of the Necromongers at the time,” Councilor N'garu said calmly while Councilor Beinn did a good impression of a fish out of water. “For all we knew this was a conflict limited between them and the Aquilans.”

Gerald snorted, then the smuggler seemed uncomfortable as he realized the attention turned to him. He cleared his throat. “We knew, we’ve been hearing rumors about them for years, but rumors were not good enough for your Everstean computers.”

“We were the ones who warned Aereon,” Adela took over again. “And even then it took her years to convince you to allow her to travel to Helion Prime.”

“That’s because her _prophecy_ caused the destruction of Furya!” Beinn growled, his face red with anger. “That is why it's dangerous for us to involve ourselves in other people's matters and that is why the previous Council banned unauthorized travel!”

“Do not blame Aereon!” Councilor Lasair spoke up for the first time, surprising Khan with the intensity in her voice as she defended her sister in-law. “It was her involvement on Helion Prime that derailed the Necromongers' plans for this long! If the Council had taken Aereon’s calculations, and unfortunate capture, more seriously the first time, instead of relying on the predictions of the Everstean computers, we might have prevented the destruction of Furya. Isn’t it clear by now that we rely too much on our technology? It is not infallible.” Her expression softened as she reached out and placed a hand over Beinn’s. “Let us not repeat the mistakes done by the previous Councils.” She pleaded. “Let us trust in our own calculations, in _ourselves_ once more.”

“These Everstean computers,” Khan said. “How did they come to be?”

To his surprise it was Beinn that answered. “Generations ago, when we realized that our numbers would be dwindling instead of growing, the most gifted among our people worked together to create the Everstean computers. They were meant to assist in case our decreasing numbers meant the loss of our gifts.”

“And they did help, for a while,” Udara added. “Gifted ones, like Aereon, are so very rare now.”

“So rare that their voices can’t be trusted over that of your backup computers anymore?” Khan asked. He didn’t expect an answer, nor did he get one as eyes lowered in shame. “Would I be wrong to assume no one on the Council had this ability?”

“You would not be wrong, my Lord,” Lasair said, glancing at Aereon. “The noble houses lost that ability a long time ago.” She didn’t need to add that they turned to their computers, instead of looking for what they needed in the general public, in an attempt to remain in power.

Khan steepled his hands as he considered the Council, old and new. “I have studied your history, the Council was created to act as regents until my arrival and to represent the interests of the people. As it often happens throughout human history, that position was exploited so that some may gain power over others. Let me be clear, and I will only say this once. The noble houses may keep their titles, if they so wish and for the sake of your traditions, however, there will be no power behind those titles. The only authority here is me and what I authorize. The Council will return to its original function, to represent the people's interests and to serve me.”

“The Council will serve, Emperor,” Udara said. A short moment later her statement was echoed by the rest of the Council.

Khan nodded. “And I will hear no more blame assignment and bickering within this Council. We have a war to prepare for.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “Now, shall we begin?”


	15. Chapter 15

Khan looked up as the massive nacelle was slowly being maneuvered over its pylon. From this distance, the people working on the pylon looked smaller than ants. He had been surprised at first, to find that the Elementals didn’t build their ships in space. However, their ships were meant to land on the surface and take off from it, so it made sense that they were built here too. Why simulate the pressures of gravity when you had the perfect environment at hand. Their isolationist tendencies had also no doubt pushed for nominal orbiting structures that could potentially divulge the planet’s location.

“So this is a warp ship,” Riddick commented. “Impressive.”

“Well,” Khan said, smiling. “It’s an Elemental ship refitted to be a warp ship, but yes, it is impressive.”

“You all stop your gawking and get back to work!” Flint shouted at his engineers as he walked towards them. The grizzled engineer mumbled under his breath up until the moment he had to bow at his Emperor. “Emperor, Lord Riddick.”

“Councilor,” Khan greeted back. Riddick grunted his reply, still disliking being called a Lord.

“We are just about to attach and balance the first warp field nacelle on its pylon,” Flint said, getting right to business and gesturing at the construction site. “Hopefully by the end of the day we’ll have the warp coils connected to the plasma conduits and we can run some simulations with the core.”

“Are the systems already upgraded then?” Khan asked, surprised. He had expected them to move fast but they had exceeded his expectations.

“Almost,” Flint said, checking his PADD. “Adela’s boy is a miracle worker when it comes to programming, he and his team should be done by the time we are.”

“Way to go baby Kirk,” Riddick said.

Khan glanced at Riddick before taking the PADD from Flint. “I really wish you’d stop calling him that.”

“So does he,” Riddick shot back with a smirk.

Khan sighed and looked at the engineer’s notes. “How is the deflector dish coming along?” he asked.

“Well enough, the design is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, but it makes sense considering the speeds we’ll be capable of. Your instructions are clear and easy to follow, but I need more hands. We also have to make adjustments to the thrusters so the ship can take off with the extra weight of the core and nacelles.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Khan said, “Though I believe you have every engineer on the planet at your disposal. The crews currently working on constructing the specialized automation machines will join you too, along with those automations, once they’re done. It will speed things up significantly.” 

“I hope so, the core alone took us nearly two months. If we are to have a fleet ready to face the Necromongers we need to move faster,” Flint said. 

“This was your first warp core, you’ll be faster making the next one and your crew will be more experienced.” He looked at the anxious engineer next to him. “Councilor Flint, I don’t expect you to have more than fifteen of these ships ready by the time the Necromongers reappear. It will be more than enough.”

Flint huffed and gave him a stubborn look. “Get me more hands and those automations, Emperor, and you’ll have more than just fifteen ships.”

Khan grinned. Flint was quickly becoming one of his favorite Councilors. The man was blunt and obsessed with his work, he also grasped new concepts with the speed of a true Augment. “Let me know when you are ready to run the first simulations. I wish to be here for them.”

“Yes, my Lord,” Flint replied, he bowed and went back to work.

Khan felt a sudden longing wash over him and turned to Riddick. The big guy’s head was tilted back, the ship reflected on his goggles, as he watched the nacelle begin its final descent to the pylon. He didn’t need to ask, he knew what Riddick was thinking, though the big guy rarely voiced his desire. The completion of this ship meant going to Furya. “You know,” he said, “Starfleet had a tradition of giving its ships names, in addition to their designation. Something symbolic or something to aspire to.” Riddick turned his head to stare at him and Khan smiled. “What would you name this one?”

He felt Riddick hesitate before saying softly. “How about, Kyra?”

***

Nyoka quietly opened the door to the training hall and looked inside. It was full of fire elementals, grouped in pairs for hand to hand training. As of yet no flames were being thrown so she snuck inside. She spotted Khan, in the middle of a match with Floga, and made her way to the observation bench closest to them. Floga had a frown of concentration as she tried to find an opening, Khan a faint smile of amusement mixed with pride at the girl's efforts.

Nyoka grinned. To Floga, Khan was a legend, her Emperor, and over the course of the last three months, he had become a father figure as well. Khan’s feelings for the girl were not far off either. He was invested in her education and wellbeing and took pride in the girl’s accomplishments. He couldn’t help but be cocky though, letting poor Floga think she had him a few times, only to block at the last minute. Still, the girl had greatly improved since the last time Nyoka had seen her go up against Khan. She deserved a win.

Nyoka took a deep breath. “Kick that perky ass, Floga!”

Her unexpected shout caused Khan to glance in her direction, earning him a well placed and solid punch in the guts. He grunted and stepped back, more out of surprise than anything else and looked back at Floga. Floga’s triumphant look quickly turned to horror as she realized she had sucker punched her Emperor.

“I’m so sorry, my Lord! I thought you’d block!”

At Floga’s words, the rest of the students paused their own matches to gawk at them.  
A tense moment passed by as Khan eyed the young Elemental. Though Floga was apologetic, her face fixed on a look of shock, she still held her fighting stance, ready to go again. Nyoka couldn’t help but laugh at the Augment’s confusion at the mixed signals he was getting from the girl before him.

Khan chuckled and relaxed his own stance. “It was well deserved,” he said. “I got distracted, you didn’t. Well done.” He gestured for her to relax and they bowed at each other, signaling the end of the match. The rest of the students reluctantly resumed their practice. “You have improved a lot.”

Floga smiled. “I’ve been practicing with... others almost daily, my Lord. I find that changing opponents often helps me anticipate more outcomes. Though you always surprise me.”

Khan tilted his head curiously, then shrugged. “I had a lot more practice, and today you were the one to surprise me,” he said and looked at the others. “Will you finish up the class for me?”

“Of course, my Lord,” Floga said and turned to the rest of the students. “Line up! We’re closing with a fire kata.”

Khan headed to Nyoka who still had a smirk on her face over his blunder. “And what made you waddle all the way here?” he asked in a low, teasing voice.

She gave him an affronted look. “I do _not_ waddle,” she said and rubbed her belly. “You try carrying this around, see how you walk.”

Khan smiled. “You do realize it's going to get even bigger. I’ll see you waddle yet.”

She sighed dramatically. “Don’t remind me. Voda says I still have three months to go and I can’t even put my own damn shoes on.” She smiled. “She kicked today, enough to feel it on the outside. Vaako, of course, freaked out, he wanted to call Voda when I let him feel.”

Khan laughed and offered her his arm as he led her out of the training area. Nyoka loved to watch the combat training, it was something to do besides reading, but Khan had all but forbidden it since she began showing. Too dangerous, he claimed and her husband had been quick to agree. If they could, they’d have her locked up in her rooms with servants watching her every move. Riddick was the only one whose attitude hadn’t changed towards her, and she was strangely grateful for that. Voda had also advised her to put up with it, or they would get worse. Once the baby was born, however, she would demand that he train her to fight too. 

“Your specialized forces seem to be coming along nicely,” she said once they were outside, her eyes roaming over faces for signs of who might be listening. Old habits were hard to let go, and so was her suspicious nature. Especially since the palace grounds had gotten a bit crowded since Khan’s take over, people were always running around on one errand or another.

“It happens when you give everyone the chance to join, instead of just the _blue blooded_ ,” Khan said. “Turns out there was more talent among the population than the Elders liked to think. Talent that has more uses than just putting up pretty shows during festivals.”

“Speaking of talent,” she said, as she caught sight of a familiar face walking towards them. “Isn’t that Siles?”

The young man caught sight of them a moment later, though from his expression it seemed that they were not the ones he had been looking for. It piqued her interest.

“Emperor,” the young man said, halting before them and bowing deeply. “Lady.”

“Well, hello there, baby Kirk,” Nyoka said mockingly. Knowing well that Riddick’s pet name for the boy annoyed both him and Khan.

“Rise,” Khan said to the boy, giving her a warning glance. “Is something wrong with the system modifications?”

Siles rose from his bow though his eyes would not meet the Emperor’s. “No, my Lord, I’m almost done. The second pylon is in place but they are still connecting the warp coils to the plasma conduits. I had some free time so I thought I’d head to the training hall.”

“The Fire Elemental class is almost over,” Khan informed him. “Floga is closing with the final kata.”

At the mention of Floga the boy’s cheeks blushed slightly. “Oh, I see.”

Nyoka grinned, this was too amusing. “But you’re not going for the class, are you?” The boy’s eyes darted up to hers and then Khan before quickly finding something interesting on the floor. She laughed. “Floga did mention she was practicing with _others_ ,” she said and gave Khan a meaningful look. “ _Daily_.” She smirked when she felt Khan’s bicep flex under her fingers.

“I see you haven’t lost your mean streak,” the Augment commented darkly before turning his cold, calculating gaze on the boy. “Are you meeting with Floga then?”

At the question Siles lost all color. “It’s not what you think, my Lord,” he said quickly. “We’re both fire elementals. I’ve been helping her with her training and such and we’ve become friends.” His voice trailed off.

“Oh you poor, brave, boy,” Nyoka said, enjoying watching the young man squirm. Everyone knew that the Emperor treated Floga as if she was his daughter, or at least little sister, and everyone tiptoed around her because of it. So, Nyoka was genuinely surprised to feel amusement rather than anger from Khan.

“You shouldn’t keep her waiting then,” Khan said, walking past the boy and taking Nyoka with him. He glanced at her playfully before turning around. “Siles!” he called after the young man who was busy letting out a sigh of relief. Nyoka held back a snort as Siles’s back stiffened and he turned slowly towards them.

“My Lord?”

“Break her heart and I’ll break you in half,” Khan said, almost pleasantly, and resumed their walk. Leaving Siles to gape after them.

“And you say I have a mean streak,” Nyoka said, laughing softly. “He won’t even dare touch her hand now.”

“Good,” Khan said. “They are too young to be touching anything.”

Nyoka looked up at him, she couldn’t feel anything from him at the moment so she could only assume he was being serious. “Tell me,” she said sweetly, wrapping her hand tighter around his bicep. “Are all Augments prudes, or is it just you?”

He gave her a sidelong look and she gave him a wide grin. “Just me,” he admitted. “The others were sex fiends, like you.”

“Well then, you have no one but yourself to blame. You are the leader of fornicators, own it. Besides, not everyone can wait for a Furyan to make their blood boil. Where is that beast of yours anyway?”

Khan chuckled and shook his head. “He’s training with the Earth Elementals, or wiping the floor with them.” He looked at her and she saw something she could only describe as worry in his eyes. “He named our flagship Kyra.”

“Ah,” Nyoka said. She looked around and realized Khan was leading her to the gardens. “He never spoke to you about her, has he?”

“He never even says her name, which is why I was surprised when he named the ship after her. I know she probably saved his life, at the cost of her own, but not much else.”

They stepped outside. The sun was bright, warm, and it felt good on her skin. She realized it’s probably been days, if not weeks, since she’d last been outside the palace. “She did,” she said, taking in a deep breath. “She was the spear that wounded the beast, quite literally. The Lord Marshal had him, Riddick was about to exhale his last breath, no one saw, or paid attention to her, until she buried a spear into the Lord Marshal’s back. He of course flung her across the room and she got impaled on one of the throne’s pillars, but she slowed him down enough for Riddick to kill him...after Vaako failed to.” She let go of Khan’s arm and walked up to Suzette’s statue. She would name her daughter after this woman, because she wanted her daughter to be just as formidable. “It’s a good name and it means something to him. Perhaps that your ship will be the spear that takes down the new Lord Marshal?” 

When Khan didn’t comment she turned around to see what he was doing and saw that he wasn’t paying any attention to her. His eyes were fixed somewhere off in the distance and there was a slight frown between his brows. A sudden wave of anger and worry slammed against her senses causing her to stagger a few steps with its intensity. 

"Khan, what-"

"Something's wrong," he cut her off. "Riddick is not at the Palace!" He turned, his eyes blazing with rage as he grabbed her hand and pulled her after him. 

His grip was iron and the pain and abruptness of it made her yelp. "Khan!" She protested, stumbling and holding her belly with her free hand. "Just go! Leave me!"

He didn't even seem to hear her, his anger was a fire that consumed his every other sense. It was as if he'd gone berserk, and even though she could sense that a part of him was holding on to her to protect her, she was still terrified. At that moment she saw Floga stepping out of the palace with Siles, the two of them smiling as they chatted. 

"Floga!" Nyoka shouted, not caring how high pitched her voice came out.

The girl turned, her eyes flew wide at the scene but she was quick to act. She raced towards them. "My Lord!" She called. "Stop! You're hurting her!"

At those words Khan stopped so abruptly that Nyoka stumbled into him and had to grab hold of his coat or end up swinging from his hand like a forgotten toy. He looked down at her and frowned, his emotions coming back into focus just a bit. Then Floga was there, wrapping an arm around her and Khan finally let go of her hand.

“Take her to the Palace,” Khan commanded, his attention already turning back to what had triggered his anger. “Don’t leave her side.”

“Wait!” Nyoka called after him as Khan took off. “He’s heading to the shuttles,” she told Floga urgently. “You have to go with him! Get the guards! Something is very wrong!”

Floga’s mouth pressed into a thin line as she was caught between obeying her Emperor or going after him. “Siles!” she snapped at the young man who hovered near them unsure what to do. “Go with the Emperor. Now!” She wrapped her arm more firmly around Nyoka to steady her. “We’ll alert the guards and get you to Voda. Come on.” 

***

“Lord Riddick!”

Riddick grunted impatiently as he turned to see who was calling him. He was looking forward to training with Vaako and the Earth Elementals, stretching his muscles a bit, he was not in the mood to be ‘Lord’. A huff from Vaako told him that his friend felt the same way.

A somewhat familiar servant hurried their way. “Lord Riddick,” the woman repeated when she reached them, she even went as far as bowing. “There’s a disturbance at the mines. Something to do with the human workers. You are needed urgently.”

Riddick tilted his head curiously. “Why come to me?” he asked. “The Council handles these things.”

The woman nodded. “The Council is dealing with some new arrivals. They have sent guards ahead to the mines but the Emperor requested that you handle this and report back to him.”

Riddick turned to Vaako. The man looked about as dubious as Riddick felt but the dilithium mines were very important to Khan’s plans. If he and the Council were otherwise engaged it kind of made sense that he’d want Riddick to get a handle on the situation. “I should go check it out.”

Vaako nodded. “I’m coming with you.”

“There is a shuttle and guards waiting for you outside,” the messenger informed them. “I will inform your class that you will not be attending.”

Riddick nodded and headed for the Palace exit, mentally checking what weapons he had on him. He spotted a couple of Palace guards and waved them over. “Give us your guns,” he told them and the guards did so despite their confusion.

“Lord Riddick, do you need assistance?” One of them asked.

“No, go replace your guns,” Riddick said and resumed his brisk walk to the exit. Something felt off but he felt better with a gun in his hand.

Vaako fell in next to him. “What reason could the humans possibly have to cause trouble? They are well treated and generously paid for their work.”

Riddick grunted. It was true, despite his mistrust of humans, Khan welcomed the stragglers that came to Quintessa. He provided housing and food for them and their families as well as equal pay with the local workers. A better deal than they would get anywhere else. The only thing he didn’t allow them was going anywhere near the warp ships. Did their greed rear its ugly head already?

They cut through the Palace gardens to the shuttle lot. Khan had replaced all of the Palace’s hovercrafts with these little beauties. They could fit up to ten people and they were twice as fast as hovercrafts, some of them were even capable of leaving the atmosphere and hitting low warp speeds. After his brief shuttle piloting lessons with Kirk, Riddick was looking forward to trying one out for himself, when things settled down.

The one they were supposed to take was easily spotted by the five guards standing next to it. Riddick knew a couple of them, at least their faces, but they were not the usual guards Khan used for his ventures outside the Palace. Then again, he wasn’t Khan. The door to the shuttle swung open as they approached and the guards stepped to the side to allow them on board first. More out of habit than anything else, Riddick moved to the back of the shuttle. 

Back of the bus, he mused, but it did offer a good view of everyone onboard and his back was covered. It was second nature to plan ahead an escape, hell he even had one for his and Khan’s rooms. Plans never hurt. He took note of the odd looks the guards gave each other as Vaako also joined him in the back. Two pilots, five guards, his next mental note. Could take cover behind that structural beam. Would take out the small guy first, he seems like he’d be a quick one.

“You seem on edge,” Vaako mumbled. “It's making me on edge.”

“Something feels off,” he murmured back. “Stay alert.”

As the guards settled in their seats the shuttle rose and took off. Riddick looked out of the windows as they flew over the city, picked up speed and quickly left it behind. They flew over the forest just outside the city and then were past that as well as they entered the more rocky terrain which lay at the feet of Quintessa’s largest mountain range. He leaned towards the closest window and frowned. He’d been to the mines a couple of times with Khan and this was not the flight path they’d taken.

He caught movement in his peripheral. “Vaako!” he warned as he dove out of the way, a second later a blast scorched the seat just where his chest would’ve been. He rolled quickly towards the structural beam. Heard more gunshots, followed by a grunt and the sound of a body dropping. He came to his feet shooting, small guy went down, followed by the guy next to him as Riddick took cover behind the beam. One more guard was down, probably by Vaako. He spared a glance to search for Vaako and found him hiding behind the beam on the other side. One of his arms was hanging useless at his side, the other holding his gun up.

Energy shots blasted at them, too close for comfort, the beams were only offering just enough cover and neither of them were small targets. Vaako gave him a sharp nod and when there was a pause they both swung out of cover shooting. The two remaining guards went down but they still had the two pilots to deal with and the bastards had better cover than them.

“Hold on to something,” he called at Vaako and swung out of cover once more, this time aiming for the controls. The console exploded and he heard one of the pilots scream before the shuttle lurched sharply to the right and made a nosedive. There was a high pitched sound as the shuttle went down, followed by the deafening clang of metal meeting rock, then all went black.

Riddick groaned and opened his eyes, or tried to, his left eye refused to open the whole way and the lens of his goggles was cracked. He pushed himself up and looked around with his good eye. The front of the shuttle was all crunched up, no way anyone survived that. 

“Vaako?” he croaked. He forced himself to his knees, everything fucking hurt, especially his head. He reached up and felt a gash right above his left eye, that whole side of his face was slick with blood. The impact had flung him towards the front, but he must’ve managed to hold on, at least for a bit, as he found himself somewhere in the middle of the shuttle and not a bloody mess like the guards. Vaako however only had one good arm when they went down, was he among the twisted bodies in the crushed front? “Vaako!”

He let out a sigh of relief at a familiar groan from behind him. He tried to stand but a wave of dizziness came over him and his vision went dark momentarily. He sat back on his heels and tried to breathe evenly. “Vaako, can you hear me?”

“Yeah,” came the reply. “I’m pinned.”

“Injuries?”

There was a long pause. “Can’t move my arm,” Vaako finally replied. “Trouble breathing, maybe a few broken ribs. Can you move?”

“Give me a moment.” He took a deep breath and slowly moved his head left to right. The dizziness had subsided some and his wound seemed to have stopped bleeding. He reached over his head and grabbed onto a piece of metal that was sticking out. He pulled himself up, ignoring all the muscles that complained by shooting spears of pain at him. At least he didn’t seem to have any broken bones. A lot of cuts, a piece of metal stuck in his thigh, but no broken bones. He left the piece of metal in for now, he’d deal with it once he checked on Vaako.

He slowly and carefully limped to the back of the shuttle. The seats he and Vaako had been sitting on got torn off the back wall and had pinned the former Necromonger against the structural beam he had been using as cover. He had been damn lucky, the beam took most of the impact from the seats, and the seats prevented him from being flung to the front of the shuttle. Vaako, pale and sweating looked up at him as he approached.

“Holy fuck,” Vaako said. “You look like crap.”

“Yeah, well, you’re not winning any beauty contests yourself,” Riddick shot back. He looked over the damage and grabbed the edge of the seat. “Ready?”

Vaako nodded and braced his good arm against the seat too. They pushed together. At first, the seats wouldn’t budge but on their second try, and with a groan of metal, they managed to move them enough for Vaako to squeeze out of the corner.

“Ugh,” Vaako grunted. “Definitely some broken ribs.”

Riddick was more concerned with the man’s arm. He turned him slightly to take a look at it. There was a large scorched area almost covering all of Vaako’s deltoid muscle. Riddick ripped back the ruined cloth and Vaako hissed as it took some skin with it. There was a puncture wound that went all the way through the muscle but the weapon had cauterized it. He couldn’t tell how bad the damage really was, but if they didn’t get it treated soon there was definitely the risk of infection or permanent damage. “There should be a medical kit somewhere in this mess,” He told Vaako and turned to look for it.

“Do you hear that?” Vaako asked.

Riddick paused and tried to listen. His ears were ringing and his head was still throbbing but he did hear something. They looked at each other and moved to one of the smashed windows. “Fuck me,” Riddick said. “Mercs.”

Three small merc ships flew their way, circled over the crash site and then landed a small distance away. Without talking, Riddick and Vaako backed away from the window and began searching the shuttle for their guns. 

“How did mercs get here?” Vaako asked, handing Riddick a gun and looking for more. “I thought everyone who entered Quintessa was strictly screened beforehand.”

“So did I,” Riddick growled. He hobbled over to the shuttle door and tried to open it but it was jammed. With another growl, he moved back to the window. “We’re trapped.”

Vaako glanced around. “We should move some of this stuff to create a more solid barrier. We might be able to hold them off for a bit.”

They were busy fortifying the wall facing the merc ships when a familiar voice called out.

“Riiiiddiiick! Caught like a fucking rat in trap. Time to face the music, bastard!” 

“Toombs,” Riddick growled at Vaako’s questioning look.

There was a round of laughter from outside and Riddick risked taking a peek. Fifteen mercs in plain sight, Toombs included, probably more waiting with the ships. “You’re making a big mistake, Toombs!”

"Riddick. Riddick. Did you really think you could cozy up to this new Emperor guy and not pay for your crimes?"

"It's all about justice then, is it?"

"What can I say? I'm a law abiding man."

"Trust me, Toombs, you don't wanna piss off this new Emperor guy. He's far less forgiving than I am."

Toombs cackled a laugh and fired a shot at the shuttle. "By the time he realizes his merc-killing pet is missing we'll be long gone. Now, come out so I can ghost you, not taking any chances this time."

“Come on Toombs, I’m not going to make it that easy for you.” He signaled Vaako to wait. “Besides, I’m worth more alive.”

“Not anymore, big guy,” Toombs shouted back gleefully. “They just want you now. They don’t care if it's alive, dead, or in pieces.” There was a short pause. “Well… provided that there’s enough pieces to prove it's you.”

The mercs started laughing again and Riddick nodded at Vaako. They both rose and started firing through the windows. The mercs merriment was cut short and replaced with curses as they scrambled for cover. Riddick and Vaako took down at least five of them before the mercs recovered enough to return fire and they had to take cover themselves. At least their barricade was working, no bullets passed through.

“Damn it, Toombs!” They heard a merc shout. “He ain't alone!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Toombs shouted back. “Throw on a fresh pair of panties and get me that bazooka. I don’t give a fuck if there’s extra pieces with the Riddick pieces!”

“We’re fucked,” Vaako said, his voice oddly calm.

A tidal wave of pure rage hit Riddick and he knew it wasn’t coming from him. He grinned. “Not yet, we’re not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you to all who have left me comments/kudos, your support means a lot! And a special thanks to BlackThorneXXX for cheering me up when I needed it :)
> 
> Also a massive thank you to LiteraryHedonism for beta-reading this chapter and being an awesome and supportive friend! Please head over to their account and check out their stories. I highly recommend!


	16. Chapter 16

“Yeah, yeah!” Vaako heard the merc Riddick called Toombs shout. “Throw on a fresh pair of panties and get me that bazooka. I don’t give a fuck if there’s extra pieces with the Riddick pieces!”

Their fortifications might hold off the small projectile bullets the mercs used, but he highly doubted the shuttle could take a hit from a bazooka. He thought of Nyoka and his unborn daughter, at least he could take some comfort in knowing that Khan would do everything in his power to keep them safe. “We’re fucked.”

He saw Riddick sway for a moment and wondered how bad that hit to the head had been, then the Furyan grinned. It was a primal, almost deranged grin. “Not yet, we’re not.”

Vaako frowned. “If you have a plan, share it quick.”

“No plan,” Riddick said. “Just a very pissed off Augment.”

A large explosion shook the shuttle and it took Vaako a moment to realize they were not blown to bits. He and Riddick rose to look out the window. One of the merc ships was up in flames and one of their own shuttles was coming about for a second attack. The mercs scrambled to face the new attack, the bazooka that was meant for them was now tracking the flying shuttle. Vaako glanced at Riddick and they both opened fire.

Toombs dove for cover, his missile missing the shuttle but just barely. One of the merc ships was attempting to take off the ground, the other had mercs pouring out of it in a panic, dragging something big behind them. The second move proved the wiser as the shuttle took out the ship attempting to take off. The laser weapons Khan called phasers made short work of the merc ship but now the area was full of mercs, all aiming at the shuttle as it came about for a third attack.

The rocky terrain was in favor of the mercs, as they took cover from his and Riddick’s attacks, but the mercs had a clear view of the shuttle and they had unloaded something bigger than a bazooka which they were now frantically trying to set up.

“Damn it, Khan,” Riddick growled. “Think!”

The shuttle veered off from its attack path and came to hover some distance away. The mercs opened fire at it but it was either out of range for their weapons or its shields worked better than Vaako had thought they would. 

“What are you cocksuckers waiting for?” Toombs’ voice came clear over the noise. “Take it down! Use the damn plasma cannon! And keep those two busy!”

A couple of the mercs started firing at them, forcing him and Riddick to take cover.

“We need to find a way out of here,” Riddick shouted.

“Unless you can fit through one of those windows, I don’t see how,” Vaako shot back, though he too looked around for a way out.

There was a blood curdling cry and the assault on their shuttle stopped. They looked at each other and rose to look outside once more. One of the mercs who had been shooting at them lay on the ground, his body twisted at an impossible angle. The second merc leaned out of his cover, aiming his gun where his companion used to be. As Vaako raised his own gun to aim at the man, the merc was suddenly and violently yanked back. A moment later his lifeless body dropped out of cover, his head twisted all the way back.

“What the hell is going on?” Vaako whispered.

“There’s a beast prowling,” Riddick said with a smirk.

With so many shots being fired at the hovering shuttle it took Vaako a moment to realize that mercs were dropping like flies. It took the mercs a moment too long as well before they started to realize there was more than the shuttle and them taking them out.

“It's a distraction!” Toombs shouted. “Stop shooting at the shuttle you idiots! Find-”

He didn’t get to finish what he was saying as Khan leapt up on a rock, wielding a gun in each hand. He razed the men trying to set up the plasma cannon and anyone else who was out in the open.

“Shoot him!” Toombs screamed. “Shoot him damn you!”

In their confusion, while trying to find the new target, some of the mercs who were trying to take cover from Khan opened themselves up to Riddick and him.

“Fire!” Riddick growled and they took down two before the others ran for better cover.

Vaako looked for Khan again but the Augment was nowhere to be seen. Mercs were running around from cover to cover, shooting at ghosts. Some of them dropped between covers and never rose again. The third merc ship blew up as the shuttle moved back in during the confusion. Vaako didn’t see Toombs calmly take aim until it was too late. Khan took down a merc, Toombs fired a shot, then two more, and Khan went down.

“No!” Riddick roared.

Toombs looked in their direction with a smug smirk. “You’re next, Riddick!” he shouted and took cover as Riddick began shooting blindly at him, roaring his rage. The man’s cackles assaulted their ears.

Vaako stared at Khan’s unmoving body, his mind unable to comprehend what had just happened. The shuttle flew over the Emperor’s body and hovered there opening fire at the rocks and the men hiding behind them. A lucky shot hit one of its engines and it veered off, crashing a few feet away. Vaako raised a shaky hand and resumed firing. It seemed that they would die here after all.

***

“Shoot him! Shoot him damn you!”

Khan turned, his eyes briefly locking with the man who was issuing the order, his body already moving to avoid the bullet the man fired his way. He leapt off the rock just as Riddick and Vaako opened fire on the humans. He put his back against one of the rocks and fired at anything moving. He was soon forced out of cover to dodge as a couple of mercs came around the rock across from him, shooting. He took them out and turned just in time to block a merc coming at him with a knife.

The man’s arm broke under the pressure of Khan’s grip and a well placed punch on the man’s throat crushed his windpipe. Khan let the man drop, once again moving for cover when a searing pain tore through his chest. He looked down at the bullet wound and as he did two more appeared. He looked up at the human’s smirking face as his knees buckled. He felt his body hit the ground and a loud roar delivered Riddick’s anguish through the Bond as his consciousness began to fail him.

“You’re next, Riddick!”

Rage, pure and uncontainable coursed through his body at those words. His hand clenched as he tried to force his body to obey him. Explosions went off around him, he could feel rock debris falling on his back and he could hear the sound of an engine overhead, then it was gone. With a growl, he gathered his arms under him and pushed himself up. The pain shot through his chest again, he coughed and spit blood but he kept pushing until he was on his knees.

“Tough fucker, ain’t ya?”

He looked up, trying to focus his eyes. It was the human who had shot him, that smirk still on his face, crouched behind his rock as shots were being fired at him.

“Headshot this time, buddy,” he said with mock regret and aimed his gun at him. “Nothing personal. Well, maybe a _bit_ personal.”

Time slowed down. Khan watched, helpless, as the man’s finger moved to the trigger, impossibly slow. A slash of light tore through the air between them. It was as if someone took a sword to the fabric of reality and from the gaping wound out walked Shirah, fire in her eyes. 

“Release it!” she commanded. “Khan! Release it!” She reached out with a glowing hand and on instinct Khan reached for that hand. “All the anger, all the _fury_! Release it! Strike them down!”

Yes, he was angry, he was furious. He didn’t come all this way to be taken down by a mere human. The rage he felt burned hotter than the pain in his chest and as his fingertips met Shirah’s that rage grew exponentially. 

“Feel my fury, feel Riddick’s fury,” Shirah hissed. “The fury of your people. You are not alone.”

No, he was not alone, through the Bond he felt Riddick reaching out to him and he added his mate’s fury to his own. Shirah smiled and disappeared, leaving Khan’s target clear before him.

“What the fuck?” the human said.

Khan roared his fury, the fire of it burning through his veins, building up in his chest until his body couldn’t contain it anymore. It exploded out of him like the shockwave of a nuclear reaction. He saw it, in the form of pure light, engulf the human, instantly extinguish his life before blasting his body away. As the last of his fury left his body, Khan fell to the ground and finally, blessed darkness claimed him.

***

Riddick frantically shot at where that piece of shit was hiding. He would kill him, rip him to pieces, tear his black heart out of his chest and eat it.

“He’s alive!” He heard Vaako shouting over his own roars.

Riddick kept shooting but his eyes flicked to where Khan had fallen. His heart lurched as he saw Khan slowly push himself up to his hands and knees. Blood gushed out of his mouth but he kept rising until he was on his knees. His head lolled for a moment before he looked up. Riddick saw Khan raise his hand as if he was trying to stop something and saw the barrel of a gun, just sticking out from behind the rock Toombs was hiding at.

“No, no, no!” Riddick yelled and felt a familiar fire shoot through his veins. He welcomed it, drew it in like a drowning man breaking the surface for air, and then the Bond came rushing in, claiming his rage, drawing from it and fueling it. His gun dropped from his hand, useless now, he saw the blue fire making his veins pop and glow. The Furyan energy suddenly rushed out of him through the Bond, leaving him reeling and grabbing onto the broken window to stay on his feet. He looked outside and saw Khan’s eyes glow like twin blue fires, the fire spreading throughout his body. Khan roared and burned so bright he was hard to look at, then all that energy released. It blasted out from Khan like a tidal wave of pure energy, claiming the life of every human around them. When it hit the shuttle and them, it threw them back against the wall with its force but otherwise went through them, leaving them unharmed.

Riddick heard Vaako moan with pain but he didn’t have time to check on him. He scrambled back to the window. “Khan!” He yelled, his heart dropped to his stomach as Khan was once again laying on the ground, motionless. “Khan!”

Someone was running through the rocks, heading for Khan. Riddick quickly looked around for his gun and picked it up, taking aim. His finger barely stopped on the trigger as Siles came from behind one of the rocks to drop on his knees next to Khan. The boy turned Khan’s body over, his face twisted in panic as he looked down at his Emperor.

“Siles!” Riddick called and the boy looked up, eyes wide. “Is he alive?” Siles looked down at Khan, and Riddick held his breath as a shaky hand reached to touch the side of Khan’s neck. 

“I- I- no pulse! I can’t- YES! He’s alive.” The boy looked up with pleading eyes. “Barely. He’s badly wounded. Really bleeding.” Siles looked like he was about to completely lose it.

Riddick wanted to scream at him to get them out of the shuttle but that would waste precious time. “Can you cauterize the wounds?”

The boy blinked at him and Riddick resisted yelling at him with much difficulty. The boy was on the edge of total panic and they had to move fast. Yelling at him would only make it worse.

“Siles, listen to me. You can do this, he _needs_ you to do this. Find a piece of metal something you can easily hold in your hand.”

Siles got on his feet and started frantically looking around. He practically dove on a knife a few feet away as if the thing would run away otherwise. He rushed back to Khan and looked at Riddick for further instructions.

“Good, that’s perfect. Cut away his shirt to expose the wounds. Sharp side up! Careful not to cut him.” He waited, his heart racing as the boy carefully cut off the shirt. “Are the wounds on one side or are there exit wounds?”

Siles slowly moved Khan and looked underneath him. “No exit wounds!” he called.

“Is he still bleeding?”

Siles looked at the wounds. “Yeah, one wound more than the others.”

Having something to do seemed to have calmed the boy down. Riddick wished he could say the same about himself. His mind was racing about what he should say next. He wished he could see the damage for himself, he wished he was out there caring for Khan himself.

“The shuttle,” Vaako grunted from behind him. “Tell him to get the medkit.”

“Go to your shuttle, get the medkit!” He shouted at Siles. He wanted to bang his head on the wall for being such an idiot as the boy took off at a full run. He was too used to taking care of wounds with whatever happened to lay around that he forgot there were better ways when somewhere civilized. He turned and looked at Vaako who was sitting on the floor, holding his side. “Thanks. How are you holding up?”

Vaako tried to wave his hand and winced. “Don’t mind me. Just my ribs, look after him.”

Riddick looked back at Khan. He leaned on the window, taking deep breaths, willing Khan to breathe, to stay alive. His Beastie had seemed bigger than life, when Riddick felt him coming it didn’t even cross his mind that this might be the outcome. In what seemed like ages Siles came back with the medical kit. 

He kneeled next to Khan, threw open the box and started picking out what was inside. “There’s a wound sealing agent! Would that do?”

“Yeah,” Riddick shouted back. “Is there anything to clean the wounds first?”

Siles picked up something that looked like a small spray and applied it generously to the wounds. He then took up a second tube-like item and sprayed that. Even from this distance, Riddick could see the substance bubbling over the wounds before settling down to a thick layer. 

“He stopped bleeding!” Siles called, sounding very relieved.

At least on the outside, Riddick thought grimly. He saw Siles looking up and back in the direction of the city. “What is it?” He called to the boy.

“Shuttles! Lots of them!” Siles stood and started waving his arms.

“Friends or foes?” Vaako asked.

“I wish I knew,” Riddick said.

***

"What was he thinking!" Voda growled through clenched teeth. "Dragging a pregnant woman around like that. Look at this hand!"

"Voda, it wasn’t his fault,” Nyoka said patiently. “I felt what he felt, there's no way anyone could control that. It's a miracle he came to his senses when he did.” She shivered, remembering that blood red rage washing over her. “How can someone feel so much and remain sane?"

"I’m not entirely sure he _is_ ,” Voda hissed. “You have a fractured finger." 

"I'll live,” Nyoka said, resisting rolling her eyes. She’d had worse injuries than this while having sex with Vaako. “I'm more worried about them now. Apparently, Vaako went with Riddick, wherever it is that they went! And the only reason Khan would react like that is if Riddick was in serious danger." She didn’t mention the strange feeling she had felt earlier.

Voda’s mouth pressed into a grim line. “I’m sure they’ll be fine,” she said.

“Oh?” Nyoka said mockingly. “Are you Aereon now? Did the odds tell you that?” At Voda’s wince, she caught herself. “Sorry,” she said and meant it. “Old habits. Seems like I still have some venom left.”

“Must’ve been hard,” Voda said, going back to working on her hand. “Being among so many and yet trusting no one.”

Nyoka grinned. “You could trust one thing. Everyone was out to get everyone.” She looked down at her hand. Under Voda’s ministrations, the ugly dark bruises had faded to an ugly yellowish color, but most of the pain was gone. “How much longer?”

Voda paused. “I can only treat the bruising for now, the bone will have to heal on its own. I can stop if you want, but it will be more uncomfortable than it has to be.”

Nyoka debated spending another hour sitting where she was, worrying while being treated, or going back to her rooms to pace and worry alone. The decision was taken from her when the door opened and a distraught Floga staggered in. Her cheeks were flushed and her breathing labored as if she had been running.

“They found them,” the girl blurted between breaths. “The Emperor...He…” She covered her face with her hands and started crying uncontrollably.

Nyoka and Voda looked at each other. Her heart in her throat Nyoka rose and wrapped Floga in her arms. “Where are they now?”

“The hospital,” a male voice answered.

Nyoka turned and saw Siles. He was covered in blood and none of it seemed to be his own. Her heart dropped from her throat to her stomach and she felt the baby kick. “Vaako?” she asked.

“He’s alive,” the boy reassured her. “A few broken ribs, an arm that needs treating. The healers are looking after him and Riddick.” He looked at Voda. “They need you, for the Emperor.”

Voda rushed past them so fast she might as well have been an Air Elemental. Siles, looking exhausted himself walked up to them and took Floga from her arms. “I’ll escort you both to the hospital,” he said and gently guided the sobbing Floga to the door.

Nyoka watched until they were out of the room. She took a deep breath through her nose and closed her eyes. “Keep it together,” she hissed to herself and breathed out through her mouth. She rubbed her belly for a moment, feeling the tightness there relax a bit. She opened her eyes, straightened her back, and followed Siles and Floga to the shuttle. 

The short ride to the hospital was tension filled, but at least Floga had calmed down a bit. Nyoka frowned to see a small crowd gathering at the base of the hospital, but thankfully their shuttle took them up, to the roof access. They took the service lift down and walked across a long, white corridor, as they took a turn left they saw Riddick, pacing like a trapped animal with a healer chasing after him, pleading with him to go and get treated.

“Riddick!” Nyoka called and the big man stopped his pacing to stare at her. He had a nasty cut just above his left eye, and even his goggles were cracked on that side. As she got closer she noticed that someone had made a poor attempt at cleaning the blood from his face and his leg was hastily wrapped over his pants. She halted a couple of steps away from him and looked up into his goggles.

“It’s my fault,” Riddick said after a moment of silent staring. “This happened because of me.”

Nyoka grabbed his face in her hands. “If Khan heard you say that, he’d be kicking your ass across Quintessa.” She relaxed her grip and stroked his cheeks. “How is he?”

“I don’t know. They took him into surgery. No one will say anything.”

Nyoka turned to the fussing healer behind Riddick. “You! Make yourself useful and go find out how the Emperor is doing.”

“But-”

“Now!”

She took Riddick’s hands and guided him to one of the benches lined along the corridor. Floga and Siles came to stand next to them. The boy wrapped his arms around Floga once more as the girl cried silently. She turned her attention back to Riddick pulling him down on the bench. “You should let someone have a look at that head wound,” she said.

“I’m fine,” he rumbled as he sat.

Floga and Siles sat next to them. She could hear him cooing comforting words at the girl as he held her close. Nyoka’s eyes roamed the corridor. 

“Where is Vaako?” she asked.

“He’s fine too,” Riddick said. “Getting his arm fixed. They said he won’t have any permanent damage.”

Nyoka nodded. She came here knowing Vaako was not in any serious danger and yet her anxiety had her heart beating like a drum inside her chest. She looked at Riddick. She loved Khan, she was worried sick about him, but still, she could only imagine how Riddick felt, not knowing. “He is Khan,” she said gently. “If anyone can pull through, it's him.”

Riddick nodded. He stood and paced, he came back and sat, a second later he was back on his feet as the healer had finally returned. They all stood, holding their breaths, to hear what the man had to say.

“They are operating so I wasn’t able to get much information,” the man began. “The Emperor has two bullets in his right lung and one more went through his shoulder and got lodged in his shoulder blade. They are attempting to remove the bullets now.” He looked at them regretfully. “I’m sorry, but we won’t know if he’ll make it for at least a few more hours.”

“He’ll make it,” Riddick snapped, then turned and walked down the corridor.

“Riddick! Where are you going?” Nyoka called after him, confused.

“Hunting,” she heard him growl.

***

It hadn’t been hard to track the woman. Palace guards saw her leaving in a hurry as soon as the news reached them that the Emperor had been wounded. Unfortunately, she managed to get out before the Council placed the Palace on lockdown. Not a lot of places she could go though, the location to her residence had been easy to find. She wasn’t there, but as a professional fugitive himself, Riddick could guess her next move. Find a ship and get the hell out.

He found Steinn in one of his usual waterholes. The old man, and former smuggler, was more than eager to help. In less than an hour, one of his little street rats came back with news. An Elemental woman was trying to purchase passage off world. She had been refused by most of the former smugglers, due to Quintessa’s state of emergency, but a human, of all people, had the good sense to stall her.

“He said he’ll keep her there as long as he can,” the little boy said. “But as she is a citizen of Quintessa he can’t de-de-detrain her against her will.”

“Take me there,” Riddick rumbled.

The human, a man in his mid forties, looked at Riddick as if the devil came knocking on his door. He reluctantly let him in and kept his distance. “Why are you looking for that woman?” he asked.

Riddick could understand the man’s hesitation. He was a big, scary man, looking for a young, defenceless woman. “She was involved in the attack against the Emperor,” he said, trying hard not to shove the man aside and search every room for her.

The man nodded and seemed to relax slightly. “I thought so. I heard the news and then she came, knocking on my door. I’m a merchant, you see, got my own ship. She seemed in a hurry to leave Quintessa, that’s why I lied that I’d help her. Seemed suspicious, her wanting to leave now and in a hurry. Considering...” He still seemed conflicted, his eyes kept darting to a door on his right. “You’re not going to kill her though, are you?”

“No,” Riddick said, moving for the door. As much as he wanted to snap the woman’s neck, he doubted she had planned this on her own. He opened the door and walked in.

The woman jumped to her feet and turned to face the door. “Is the ship rea-” She froze, her mouth gaping, her eyes growing impossibly wide with fear.

“What’s your hurry?” Riddick growled. “We have so much to talk about.”


	17. Chapter 17

"You're still in bed?" Suzette's face hovered over him, smiling down at him. "It's time to get up, Noony."

Khan opened his eyes and she was no longer there. He groaned at the discomfort in his chest, which only served to make it hurt worse.

"Beastie?"

A warm hand took his own and he turned his head. "Riddick," he said, relieved to see Ridddick sitting next to him, as everything that had happened came back to him. "Are you alright?"

Riddick chuckled and brought his hand to his mouth, kissing it gently. "You're the one in a hospital bed, Beastie," he said, his voice cracking a bit. "Had us all worried."

Khan frowned. "How long?"

"Two days, the third is just beginning."

Khan squinted, it was mostly dark, what little light there was had the eerie cast of early dawn. He felt dizzy and starved, perhaps that’s why Riddick seemed to have a silverish blue aura around him. Riddick's light reflective eyes watched him as Khan tried to put events into order. He had been unconscious for two days and Riddick looked as if he hadn't slept in just as long. "What happened?" He asked. "Why were you out there?"

Riddick’s expression hardened and he squeezed his hand. “A servant came and found me as I was about to go train with the Earth Elementals, she said you wanted me to handle some kind of trouble at the mines.” Khan felt a wave of guilt through the Bond as Riddick hesitated for a moment. “My stupidity almost got you killed.”

Khan’s mind was still a bit foggy and that shimmer around Riddick was very distracting. “I don’t understand,” he said. “Was there trouble at the mines?”

Riddick shook his head. “No, it was a ploy to get me out of the palace.” He suddenly stood and paced. He was like a wild animal in a cage, wanting to attack something, yet nothing was within his reach. “I knew something felt off!” he growled, the silverish aura around him now streaked with red. “But I ignored my instincts, told myself I was being paranoid!”

“Riddick,” Khan said softly, feeling assaulted by his mate’s anger and guilt towards himself.

Riddick stopped pacing and visibly made an effort to rein in his emotions. He went back and sat, taking Khan’s hand again and kissing his knuckles. “I thought I’d lose you.”

Khan tried to smile reassuringly. “I’m not an easy man to kill. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.” Riddick’s mouth set into a grim line and Khan sighed. “Walk me through it.”

“I should get Voda,” Riddick said, “Let her know you’re awake.”

Khan shook his head. “Not yet,” He said and closed his eyes. His chest felt tight, each breath painful, and speaking was difficult. He remembered getting shot, the human's smug face as he was about to deliver the final shot. He remembered Shirah, walking up to him and Riddick's rage joining his own. He opened his eyes as he felt Riddick kiss his hand again, bringing his attention back to the present. He caught sight of his own hand then. “Oh,” he said.

Riddick looked up concerned. “Did I hurt you?”

“No,” he said softly, his eyes fixed on the frail looking thing between Riddick’s strong hands. “It’s just been a long time since I’ve lost this much weight...Not since the wars on Earth.” He held up his other hand and looked at it, then down his arm. He touched his face next. His cheeks felt hollow, his cheekbones protruding, he was almost skin and bones. “I must look like death warmed over.”

Riddick stood and leaned over him. He kissed him gently on the lips, then the nose and forehead before pulling back to look at him. “You look gorgeous,” he said.

Khan chuckled and winced as his lung complained. “I wasn’t fishing for compliments, but my vanity thanks you.” He eyed the big guy skeptically. “You’re avoiding telling me what happened.”

“Don’t want to upset you,” Riddick confirmed. “Just got you back.”

“And I’m not going anywhere.” He slowly maneuvered himself into a half sitting position, taking note of where his body complained about it. Riddick helped him and put a pillow behind his back. He rested back on the pillow with a sigh. In addition to a sore chest, his shoulder posed some discomfort as well. It seemed that both were well on their way to healing however. It was his sight that worried him most now, perhaps it was due to fatigue, but that aura of light around his mate was a side effect he’d never experienced before. “I do need to know what’s happening in my Empire, Riddick.”

Riddick sat back down and studied his face for a moment. The worry was evident in the big guy's eyes despite the shine. “The woman that brought me the message was a palace servant. I’ve seen her at the palace plenty of times to know her face. I thought it was odd that you would send her instead of Floga, but I reasoned it away. There was also an escort of palace guards waiting for us at the shuttle.” A flare of anger shot through the Bond. “But again, they were familiar faces and I reasoned it away.”

“Anyone in your place would have done the same,” Khan said gently.

“You wouldn’t have,” Riddick shot back, bitterness coating his words.

“Maybe,” Khan said, keeping his own voice even. “But I have the advantage of augmented hearing, and even with that, I have been fooled once or twice.” His own anger was fast approaching the surface. “So, someone bribed members of the palace staff? Were they mercenaries?”

Riddick tilted his head. “The ones who attacked us were mercs, but I don’t think they did the bribing. Toombs was a persistent fucker, but he wasn’t all that smart. I doubt he could find a way to bribe these many people _and_ find a way into Quintessa on his own, not with how ships and their crew are screened. This was someone high up using Toombs to do their dirty work.”

Khan realized with a jolt what Riddick was saying. “A Council member?” he growled.

Riddick nodded. “Who else could bypass the planet's security measures? Who else could have servants and guards still loyal to them? My best guess is someone from the original Council members.” He took Khan’s hand again, and like an anchor, it kept him from being completely swept away by his rage. “Beastie, the target was me, not you. They don’t know about the Bond, they thought you would remain safe at the palace.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Khan hissed. “The servant, the one who brought you the message, where is she?”

“She’s being held at the palace, in your tower, watched by guards I picked myself. At first, I thought she might be just an innocent servant delivering a message, but when we got you here, and I went looking for answers, I found out that she had left the palace in a hurry. So, she at least knew she was setting me up for a trap. I ordered a planet-wide lockdown, no one in, no one out. Any ships that attempt to come or leave will be destroyed no questions asked.”

Khan nodded, relaxing just a bit. “That is a wise precaution. Have you questioned her?”

“Tried,” Riddick said. “All she’ll admit is that she never meant you harm. Nyoka wanted a go at her. Said I was being soft on her because she’s a woman.” He grinned briefly. “But Aereon said it wouldn’t matter, the odds are good that she will only confess to you. So I put Nyoka’s talents to use on the Council.”

Khan lifted an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Riddick shrugged. “I had Vaako take over training, Aereon look into how the mercs got through screening, and Floga...well she took it hard but she’s also keeping up with classes and her other duties, it made sense to have Nyoka sit in on the Council meetings. I know you didn’t officially make her a member but she’s better at that sort of stuff than Vaako and I. Besides,” he grinned again. “Every garden needs a snake.”

Khan grinned back. “Seems to me that you have everything well in hand.” He was surprised and proud at the same time. Riddick was a very intelligent man, but the truth was that he avoided responsibility like the plague. It was reassuring to know that the big guy was willing to step up and take the reins for him, when needed. “Two days is not a long time, but have you discovered anything?”

The door swung open slowly, surprising both of them. “Should put a bell around your neck,” Riddick growled as Aereon materialized at the door’s opening.

“I’d prefer chains I could rattle, like a proper ghost,” the older woman said, gliding further in, her eyes fixed on Khan. “My Lord, I can’t express how glad I am to see you awake.”

Khan inclined his head. “It’s good to be awake.”

“How are you feeling?” she asked, her concern plain on her face.

“Starving,” Khan only half joked.

Riddick kissed his hand and stood. “I’ll go get you some food, and let Voda know you’re awake.” He looked at Aereon before pulling down his goggles. “Stay with him.”

***

Riddick nodded his thanks to the nurse that held the door open for him. The hospital kitchen staff had gone a bit overboard when they learned their Emperor was awake and hungry. He balanced the tray carefully and he walked through the door, still, some of the dishes clattered threateningly.

“Keep up with the investigation,” Khan was telling Aereon while Voda buzzed about, checking his vitals on the monitors. He paused to smile at Riddick as he made his way to the bed and carefully set the tray on the younger man’s lap. “I want this solved before we leave for Furya. Is there anything else?” he went on, lifting one of the dish covers. The smell of meat and vegetables filled the room and Khan’s stomach growled, it made Riddick smile. The Beastie was eager to dive in and Riddick took that as a good sign.

“There have been some...incidents between Elementals and humans in the city,” Aereon said carefully.

Khan frowned and picked up his fork. “Such as?” He looked over the plate and attacked a piece of meat.

Aereon smoothed down her robe before answering. “In some cases, humans were refused services by Elemental merchants and there were also a couple of more heated altercations. We had to double security in the city.”

Khan’s eyes narrowed slightly and he practically swallowed that piece of meat whole. “Make a public announcement, Aereon,” he said. “I will not have witch hunts in my empire. The humans that came to us did so to join the fight against the Necromongers and have thus far worked hard towards that goal. The actions of a few mercenaries should not spoil what we have built here. Anyone who acts against the humans in retaliation shall face Imperial justice.”

“Yes, my Lord.” Aereon seemed pleased and relieved with Khan’s reaction. “I assume we should also make an official announcement that you are conscious and well.”

“It would confirm more rumors than it puts to rest,” Voda chimed in.

“Rumors?” Khan asked.

Riddick chuckled. “I heard that you killed a hundred men with your bare hands.”

“How ambitious of me,” Khan said, grinning at him.

“You also lost an arm and grew it back,” Voda added, checking her PADD to hide her grin.

Khan tilted his head and took another bite. “Oh, I haven’t done that in a long time,” he said around the mouthful and winked at Riddick.

“Of course,” Voda said, putting down the PADD and raising an eyebrow at Khan. “Because growing back half a lung is not impressive enough?”

Khan shrugged and Riddick saw him wince slightly. He knew the Beastie healed fast, and this recovery would have been nothing short of a miracle, if not for how wasted the younger man’s body looked. Gone were the chiseled muscles and smooth curves. Khan now looked like a man who had been starving for years. When Riddick had helped him sit up earlier, his heart had skipped a beat at how frail that body felt. He could count his ribs just by looking at him. The quilt made him avert his eyes.

They all got swept up by the legend, in the back of their minds Khan had been invincible, these last couple of days had proven to be a sobering dose of reality. Riddick mentally kicked himself. He had been so stupid and careless, he hated himself for the sense of joy and relief he’d felt when Khan had arrived to rescue him and Vaako. Not even for a moment did it cross his mind that Khan was in danger too, not until he saw him go down. A hand grasped his own, jolting him out of that horrible memory. He looked down into the blue depths of Khan’s eyes and found no blame there, just unconditional love and understanding.

“You would’ve done the same for me,” Khan said and squeezed his hand. His grip was strong, despite his seemingly weakened state. “So, no more of that,” the younger man went on. He looked at the two women who went quiet, trying to go unnoticed during this intimate moment. “How soon can I go back to the palace?” Khan asked almost cheerfully. “No offense, but I hate hospitals.”

Voda cleared her throat and looked down at her PADD. “Your weight is the only thing that really worries me now. You seem to be in good health otherwise. I would like to keep you here at least another day though.”

“No,” Khan simply said.

Voda sighed as if she’d been expecting that. “I will speak with your kitchen staff about what sort of meals to prepare for you.”

Khan nodded. “Whatever you have in mind, double it. I should be back to normal in two to three days but I’ll need copious amounts of nutrient-rich foods, if you can provide me with protein supplements as well, that would be even better.”

Voda blinked in surprise and looked at Riddick. He nodded, remembering how Khan’s blood had made him ravenous when it healed his leg, and how fast he’d regained the bit of weight he’d lost, and that was just a small amount of blood working inside him.

“Very well,” Voda said. “Would there be anything else, my Lord?”

Khan seemed to hesitate. Riddick felt him weighing something, making a decision. “No,” he finally said. “That will be all.”

Voda bowed and left. Aereon walked closer to the bed and placed a hand gently on Khan’s shoulder. The Beastie looked up surprised at the casual contact. Aereon usually kept a cool demeanor around them, rarely venturing close enough to touch.

“It is good to have you back, my Lord,” Aereon said, the fondness in her eyes unmistakable as she smiled down at Khan. “I will arrange for your transport back home. Though I think you should’ve stayed another day to recuperate. The streets below are filled with worried subjects, they should not see you like this.”

Khan smiled back and patted her hand. “I’m sure you can smuggle me out and into the palace unseen.”

Aereon laughed softly and glided to the door. “I will let the others know you’re awake and not to come, since you’ll be going to them.” With a bow she turned into her misty form, the door closing quietly behind her.

Riddick watched Khan’s face carefully, the younger man’s brow was slightly furrowed as he stared at the door. “They love you, you know,” he said and Khan turned to look at him. “Even the people. They’ve been gathering outside the hospital, bringing flowers and stuff.” He smiled at the look of confusion on Khan’s face. “I guess you didn’t know.”

“No,” Khan simply said and began eating again.

Riddick chuckled, it was amazing how unintentionally cute the Beastie could be some times. On an impulse, he reached over and ruffled his hair, at Khan’s incredulous look he laughed. “Your hair’s getting longer. I like it.” 

***

Khan paused at the third landing of the stairs and took a deep breath. It’d only been a couple of days since he’s been back from the hospital and even though most of his body mass had returned to normal, his stamina needed a bit more time.

“You alright, Beastie?” Riddick asked, stopping behind him and placing a hand on his back.

“Mhm,” Khan answered, taking another deep breath. “That was more stairs than I thought.”

Riddick made a sound that was between a growl and a soothing purr as he rubbed his back. “I don’t see why they didn’t make the damn lift go all the way to the damn basement too.”

Khan closed his eyes, taking a moment to enjoy how nice that felt. He grinned and shook his head. _I’m turning into a cat_ , he thought, _I’m starting to enjoy all this petting_. It seemed that since his injury everyone was eager to offer him comfort through some kind of physical contact. Especially Nyoka, who’d cuddle up to him or stroke his hair any chance she got. “If these underground floors were always meant to be cells it makes sense. You wouldn’t want an escaped prisoner taking the lift up.” Khan had known that his tower had a basement, he hadn’t known it was like this. 

The circular staircase seemed to go down forever and each landing had doors on either side, leading to small, dark rooms. The rooms were too small to be merely storage areas, no, this was the darker side of the Elemental justice system. It almost reminded him of the cell he’d rescued Joaquin from. 

As he stood straighter, preparing to descend to the next landing, his ears finally picked up signs of life below. He didn’t know if the woman noticed a change in the darkness from the light Riddick held for him, or if she had been quietly sobbing this whole time and he just hadn’t heard her over his own straining breath. He paused at the edge of the landing, looking down into the oppressive darkness below, and squashed the impulse to comfort the crying woman. She was not some helpless victim, she was the one who tried to send Riddick to his death.

“Beastie, if you’re not up to this yet,” Riddick trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.

“I’m fine,” Khan replied and resumed their descent into darkness. 

The sobs cut short as soon as their light fell on the tiny, barred window of one of the doors on the next landing. Riddick moved forward, pulling out the keys for the cell. He turned to look at him and Khan nodded. The door unlocked with a clang that Khan was sure would sound as ominous to the woman inside as it did to him. He held his hand out for the light. Riddick frowned, not liking the obvious implication for him to remain outside, but he handed it over anyway.

Khan nodded and Riddick pulled the door open, stepping back to let him in. The cell was like any other, small, dark, damp, and reeked of human waste. Khan lifted the light higher and saw the woman cowering in the corner furthest from the door, her hand held up to cast a shadow over her eyes as she tried to blink them into adjusting to the light. Riddick had been right, her face was familiar. Khan had seen her running errands around the palace. She had always smiled and bowed to him when their paths crossed.

He heard her gasp as her eyes finally adjusted and she recognized him. She sat up on her knees and bowed, her forehead touching the filthy floor. “My Lord,” she whimpered. She looked back up, an expression of disbelief on her face. “You...you’re unharmed…”

“Unharmed?” Khan said, his voice dangerously low and cold. “Is that what you think?” The woman’s heart was beating so fast it was like a continuous hum. She tried to cower away as Khan took a step forward but her back was already against the wall. “You tried to have my Consort _murdered_ and almost succeeded in killing _me_.”

She shook her head vigorously. “I never meant you any harm, my Lord!”

He could hear the truth in her voice and heartbeat, which only made her words more twisted in his mind. “How is killing the man I love not causing me harm?”

“The Furyan is not who you think he is,” she said quickly. “He is a mass murderer! He was a ranger, a military man on Sigma three before he turned against his own men. He killed them in cold blood, he has no loyalty, he is not to be trusted!” There was something almost fanatical in her expression as she looked up at him. “You are Khan Noonien Singh, we all grew up with stories of your sacrifices, your unyielding loyalty, Riddick is a stain to your reputation.” 

Khan tilted his head, listening. Riddick stood just outside the door but he was quiet, his heartbeat steady. “My reputation,” Khan said softly, letting the words hang between them.

The woman began sobbing again. “You weren’t supposed to be there. He told me, he assured me, that you would be safe!”

Khan stalked up to her and crouched down to look her in the eyes. “Who?” he asked evenly.

“We only want what’s best for you,” the woman mumbled on. “We did it to protect you, we-”

Her words cut short as Khan’s hand wrapped around her neck. “Let me tell you something about my _reputation_ ,” he growled. “I crushed the skull of my creator with my bare hands, he was the closest thing we had to a father. I instigated a war that killed millions and then ruled over what was left with an iron fist. I was condemned as a war criminal, forced into exile and when I returned I killed thousands more for my family. Riddick is my family now, do not think I will not snap your neck for him.” He paused and locked eyes with her. “Now, who put you up to this?”

***

Nyoka glanced up the seven steps to where Khan sat on the oversized, bejeweled throne. Despite the chair’s size, the Emperor was not dwarfed, on the contrary, he radiated such authority that it seemed barely contained. The only sign of his recent brush with death was perhaps that he was still a bit thinner than normal. Which only served to make the angles of his face sharper and his scowl all the more terrifying.  
It had been amusing to Nyoka how months ago the man had argued against the Council over the necessity of a throne, yet he sat on it as if he was made for it. She thought it a shame that Khan drew the line at wearing a crown. It would have fit him nicely.

Just one step below the Emperor stood Riddick. The Furyan was all dressed in black and armed to the teeth. An imposing barrier between the Emperor and the room below. At the base of the steps stood four Earth Elemental guards, their size almost as impressive as Riddick’s. On each side of the throne room stood the Council, at least most of it, various nobles, and other people of influence, Vaako included.

She continued her slow prowl around the Great Hall, keeping her eyes on the throne and her ears in the gathered crowd. The people were restless, curious, and angry, but they could sense that something big was about to happen. Nyoka too felt a flutter of excitement as the double doors at the end of the hall began to open slowly. 

Floga strode in, her head held high and her expression grim, almost stony. She was flanked by two more Fire Elementals, who led in Councilor N’garu and his six accomplices. Following the prisoners were four more guards with their guns held pointed up but ready to be brought to action if needed.

Nyoka’s eyes narrowed as she watched the people who almost ruined everything get escorted before the throne. The crowd around her shifted like an angry beast raising its hackles and the murmurs began like a hive stirred to a frenzy. She saw Riddick shift his stance slightly and Khan’s eyes flick to him for a brief second. The big guy relaxed when it became evident that the anger that now hung over the room was directed at the seven prisoners. 

The woman who had set all this to motion began sobbing. Although she had kept her mouth shut when Riddick and Aereon tried to interrogate her, she had sung like a bird when Khan went to see her. If not for the woman’s reverence of Khan, verging on worship, Councilor N’garu might’ve gotten away with Riddick’s attempted assassination. Nyoka had almost been impressed, the traitor had people in almost every position to pull this off, erase any trace, and make it look like it was just greedy mercenaries after a fat bounty. If Riddick and Vaako had died, if Riddick hadn’t gone after the woman, if she hadn’t told Khan everything...

Nyoka snorted. Amature, N’garu should’ve killed his accomplices as soon as Riddick had been lured away from the palace, the success or failure of the plan didn’t matter. If you’re going to be a snake, you bite everyone.

The guards forced the prisoners to kneel at the base of the steps and Aereon moved forward. She held up a PADD and began reading the charges against the prisoners. Nyoka lost interest and began prowling among the crowd again, looking for faces that showed any sign of sorrow or compassion, instead of anger and eagerness for justice.

“Everything I did was in service of the Empire!” N’garu’s voice cut off Aereon’s reciting. Nyoka turned just in time to see Khan’s cold gaze fix on the kneeling man. How the man didn’t instantly turn into a column of ice was a wonder. “My Lord, you must see beyond the war,” the man pleaded. “What future will your Empire have with a murderer at your side? One wanted across the known universe. He will only bring us more enemies. You need a wife, a Consort that can give you heirs, not more enemies.”

Nyoka’s eyebrows rose at the audacity of the man, the murmurs of the crowd rose again in indignation, and she wondered how Khan managed to simply look bored.

Khan tapped his fingers on the throne's arm. “You thought that killing the person closest to me while I’m preparing for war was in the Empire’s best interest? In my best interest? You allowed enemies through our defences to protect me? I knew you were a coward, N’garu, but you had me fooled, I didn’t think you were an idiot too.” The Emperor rose and everyone fell silent. “As for my Consort, I take to my bed whom I wish to take to my bed. I will choose as my heir someone fit to rule after me, not someone who just happens to be next in line.” He began descending the steps and as he reached the last one he pulled out his sword. Nyoka had thought the sword was just symbolic but as Khan held it at his side she could see that it did indeed have an edge. N’garu looked up at his Emperor with disbelief while the other prisoners behind him gasped and began crying or pleating. “Choose your last words wisely, N’garu,” Khan said. “Make them count.”

N’garu began to panic, his mouth worked but no words came out, then the man suddenly calmed down and Nyoka saw why. There was something in Khan’s eyes as he looked down at the man. She saw N’garu’s shoulders slump and his head nod. “If you would allow me a last request, my Lord,” N’garu said, his voice trembling. “Spare the others, let this end with me.” 

Khan nodded and lifted the sword. 

“Long live the Emperor.” Were N’garu’s last words as the sword sliced through his neck and his head rolled on the floor. The rest of the prisoners screamed as blood sprayed out of the severed neck like a fountain, drenching them and Khan before N’garu’s body fell to the side.

Khan flicked the blood off his blade and slid it back into its sheath. “Your lives are spared,” he told the rest of the prisoners. “But your freedom is forfeit. You will serve in the mines, under guard, until the end of your days.” He stepped back. “Take them away.”

Nyoka moved closer to the throne as the prisoners were led away. Khan remained where he was, staring at N’garu’s body until Riddick approached him with a cloth. The big guy held the cloth out and Khan took it, wiping away what blood had splattered on his face. He looked over at the Council. “Arrange for his body to be returned to his family for proper burial,” he said. “Tomorrow we test Kyra’s warp drive. Enough time has been wasted.” He let the cloth drop on the pool of blood at his feet and strode out of the Great Hall, Riddick at his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to LiteraryHedonism for all their help and support. And thank you to all who left me comments/kudos.


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